WhatsApp’s ChatGPT service has been officially deactivated by OpenAI
On Thursday, January 15, OpenAI’s ChatGPT service on WhatsApp ended. The Meta-owned platform will no longer support the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot. The deadline was established in October 2025 when the instant messaging business declared in a revised policy that all chatbots based on large language models (LLMs) will be subject to restrictions. The Menlo Park-based tech giant’s internal chatbot, Meta AI, was used less frequently, which many felt had more to do with the company’s explanation of increased server burden.
AI Chatbots Stop Working on WhatsApp
OpenAI stated on a support site for the ChatGPT phone line, “ChatGPT will no longer be available on WhatsApp on January 15, 2026.” ChatGPT is still accessible on the web, iOS, and Android. In order to preserve their chat history, the business advised users to link their accounts; otherwise, the discussions would not move.
Employees at Gadgets 360 also confirmed that the service had been terminated. Texting ChatGPT on WhatsApp now displays a notification informing users that the service is no longer available and advising them to download the app in order to continue using it. The website and the Mac desktop application, among other access points, are also functioning normally. In addition to ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Copilot and Perplexity are also accessible on WhatsApp and will suffer a similar fate.
A few months prior to the deactivation, WhatsApp modified its business application programming interface (API) policy to exclude large language model AI bots and other “machine learning technologies” from using WhatsApp Business. Meta also has the authority to decide what constitutes an AI chatbot and what does not. According to the policy, “if we reasonably determine that you have violated these restrictions, we may terminate your account and revoke your access.”
Interestingly, OpenAI launched the WhatsApp service in December 2024 following the release of a special ChatGPT phone number (1-800-CHATGPT or 1-800-242-8478). The AI behemoth added more features in the months that followed, including support for voice and image input. Later on, the WhatsApp service was enhanced with AI-powered image production.
