EU forces Meta to allow ChatGPT back on WhatsApp
openai re-enabled chatgpt on whatsapp in europe following eu orders, bypassing meta's previous ban. this marks a major win for interoperability that could reshape ai distribution.
openai restored chatgpt access to whatsapp in the european economic area using the number 1-800-242-8478, supporting text, image generation, and voice messages without a login. the model identifies as gpt-5.5, and image requests route to gpt-image-2. this re-entry follows a european commission decision in june 2026 ordering meta to allow rival services back after the company exclusively promoted its own meta ai. openai is similarly expanding to kakao in south korea and viber, signaling how regulatory pressure can fragment proprietary ecosystems and force platforms to become distribution channels for competitors.