That feature on WhatsApp will become paid
WhatsApp developers in Italy will face a new pricing structure for AI-powered chatbots starting February 16. Businesses that perform a high volume of queries, in particular, may face increased costs.
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Meta has announced that it will introduce a new pricing policy for developers operating AI chatbots via WhatsApp in Italy. The new practice is expected to bring additional billing for developers, particularly on the platform where thousands of queries are exchanged daily.
Under the new pricing, which will take effect on February 16, 2026, each AI response that falls outside of templates will be priced at $0.0691 per message. This situation is of particular concern to businesses and commercial users that provide high-volume customer service at a low cost.
In a statement from the company, it was noted that WhatsApp already charges various companies through API templates for marketing, utility, and authentication purposes. Within this scope, messages such as payment alerts or shipping notifications were already being charged. It was stated that because AI-based chatbots offer more flexible and user-centric services, they generate more messages, which could lead to higher total costs for developers.
A Meta spokesperson commented on the matter, saying, "Where we are legally required to provide AI chatbots via the WhatsApp Business API, we are introducing pricing for those who choose to use our platform to provide these services."