Follow Okaz channel on WhatsApp

In a fierce battle to break the monopoly and enforce equal opportunities in the world of artificial intelligence, Meta has reluctantly bowed to strict European pressures and laws, reinstating the world's most famous chatbot, ChatGPT, to WhatsApp after a full six-month ban and intentional exclusion!

This return was not just a routine update but came as a result of European legal pressure that forced Meta to open its most popular app to competing AI chatbots for free, after desperate attempts to monopolize the field with its own assistant.

The details of the story date back to the beginning of 2026, specifically on January 15, when the Meta empire suddenly decided to amend the rules of the WhatsApp Business API.

This amendment banned the use of all external chatbots within the app, resulting in:

The removal of ChatGPT: The bot was completely disabled, depriving millions of users of its features within WhatsApp.

Monopolizing the field for Meta AI: Observers say this step was a 'malicious strategic plan' by Meta to cut off competitors and force WhatsApp users to use only its own smart assistant, Meta AI.

This monopoly did not last long, as the strict laws of the European Economic Area succeeded in forcing Meta to retreat and open the app again.

The official ChatGPT account on platform X (formerly Twitter) announced its return in a tweet saying: 'ChatGPT is available again on WhatsApp in the European Economic Area, as part of our efforts to make AI accessible within the apps people already use every day.'

The feature was not limited to Europe; it gradually began rolling out to users in other countries around the world based on the country code associated with their phone numbers.

How to message ChatGPT on WhatsApp?

Users can now enjoy all of OpenAI's superpowers directly within their traditional chats with unprecedented flexibility. To start using it, all you need to do is:

Add the contact: Save the verified phone number: 1-800-CHATGPT.

Start chatting: Send a welcome message to the number to begin your digital adventure.

Available uses: You can now ask complex questions, upload images for analysis, send voice notes for quick responses, as well as generate images and use the bot in various global languages seamlessly.