OpenAI has officially confirmed that ChatGPT will no longer be available on WhatsApp starting January 15, 2026marking the end of one of the most popular third-party chatbot integrations on the platform. The San Francisco-based AI company updated its FAQ section to reflect the change, citing Meta’s new restrictions on external AI chatbots.
OpenAI stated:
Users who have interacted with ChatGPT on WhatsApp are being urged to link their WhatsApp account to their ChatGPT account soon to preserve their chat history. OpenAI clarified that WhatsApp does not support chat exportsmeaning conversations won’t be automatically transferred once the integration ends.
To maintain privacy and control, users will also have the option to unlink their phone numbers from ChatGPT after linking.
Until now, users could message ChatGPT on WhatsApp via the number 1-800-242-8478using it to ask questions, search the web, generate images, or have voice-based AI conversations.
The sudden discontinuation follows Meta’s quiet update to the WhatsApp Business API policywhich now explicitly bans general-purpose AI chatbots from operating on the platform.
The revised policy states:
The rule effectively locks out ChatGPT and similar services like Perplexity, Luzia, and Pokeforcing them to shut down operations on WhatsApp.
Meta claims the decision stems from server load management and data protection concerns. However, industry observers suggest the move aligns with Meta’s strategy to promote its own in-house AI assistant, Meta AIas the exclusive chatbot across WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and its standalone AI app.
This change further consolidates Meta’s AI ecosystem — where the company recently announced it would target ads and personalize content based on user conversations with Meta AI. Notably, users currently have no global opt-out switch to avoid these interactions entirely.
ChatGPT’s exit from WhatsApp signals the end of third-party AI diversity on Meta’s messaging platform. While OpenAI users can continue accessing ChatGPT through its mobile apps and web interfaceWhatsApp users will soon find Meta AI as the sole chatbot companion available natively.
As the January 15 deadline approaches, OpenAI is encouraging users to secure their chat data and prepare for the transition — marking yet another turning point in the evolving AI platform power struggle between Big Tech players.
