Copilot, Microsoft’s AI Chatbot, Exits WhatsApp on January 15

Microsoft has announced that its AI assistant Copilot will no longer work on WhatsApp starting January 15, 2026. This means if you have been chatting with Copilot through WhatsApp, you will need to find another way to use the AI assistant after that date, either they switch to Microsoft’s own Copilot mobile apps or use the chatbot via the web. The change affects millions of people who have been using Copilot on WhatsApp since it launched in late 2024.

The reason behind this sudden exit is that WhatsApp has changed its rules about who can use its platform. Meta, the company that owns WhatsApp, recently updated its Business Solution Terms to ban general purpose AI chatbots from using the messaging app. The new policy says that AI providers cannot use WhatsApp when artificial intelligence is the main feature they are offering. This rule targets standalone AI assistants like Copilot, ChatGPT, and Perplexity, while still allowing businesses to use AI for helping customers.

WhatsApp originally designed its Business API to help companies communicate with their customers about things like appointments, shipping updates, and support questions. But over time, many AI companies started using it as an easy way to reach billions of WhatsApp users. Meta decided this was not what the platform was meant for, so they created new rules to stop it. The company wants to keep WhatsApp focused on business to customer interactions rather than becoming a distribution channel for AI chatbots.

For people who have been using Copilot on WhatsApp, there is some bad news about your chat history. Microsoft says they cannot transfer your conversations from WhatsApp to their other platforms. This is because the WhatsApp version of Copilot did not require you to sign in with an account. Without authentication, there is no way to link your WhatsApp chats to a Microsoft account and move them over.

If you want to keep a record of your conversations with Copilot on WhatsApp, you need to act before January 15. WhatsApp has a built in feature that lets you export your chat history. You can use this tool to download your Copilot conversations and save them to your phone or computer. Microsoft is urging users to do this as soon as possible because once the deadline passes, those conversations will be gone forever.

The good news is that Copilot is not going away completely. Microsoft wants you to continue using Copilot through other channels. You can download the Copilot mobile app on your iPhone or Android phone. You can also visit the Copilot website at copilot.microsoft.com to chat with the AI assistant from any web browser. If you use Windows on your computer, you can access Copilot directly through the operating system.

Microsoft says that using Copilot on these other platforms actually gives you more features than the WhatsApp version ever had. The official Copilot apps and website include extra capabilities that were not available through WhatsApp. This includes things like Copilot Voice, which lets you talk to the AI assistant using your voice, and Copilot Vision, which can help with visual tasks. Since you will need to sign into these platforms with a Microsoft account, your conversations will be saved and synced across all your devices.

Microsoft is not the only company affected by WhatsApp’s new policy. Other AI chatbot providers like OpenAI, Perplexity, which makes ChatGPT, are also leaving the platform on the same date. OpenAI reported that more than 50 million people were using ChatGPT on WhatsApp before the policy change was announced. Perplexity, another AI search assistant, has already been directing users to switch to Telegram instead. The CEO of Perplexity posted on social media back in October telling people to start using their Telegram bot because of the coming changes to WhatsApp.

This situation highlights how platform owners have a lot of power over which services can reach their users. Even though millions of people found it convenient to use AI chatbots through WhatsApp, Meta decided that this was not the right direction for their platform. Now AI companies need to convince people to download separate apps or visit websites instead of just adding a contact in WhatsApp.

For users, this change might feel like an extra step. Instead of having everything in one messaging app, you now need to switch between different apps depending on whether you want to chat with friends or talk to an AI assistant. However, Microsoft hopes that the additional features in their dedicated Copilot platforms will make up for the inconvenience.

The timing gives everyone about two months to prepare for the change since Microsoft announced it in late November. If you are someone who regularly uses Copilot on WhatsApp, it is a good idea to start getting familiar with the Copilot app or website now. That way, when January 15 arrives, you will already know how to continue your AI conversations without any interruption.

Microsoft has made it clear that all the core features you enjoyed on WhatsApp will still be available on their other platforms. The company is working to make sure the transition is as smooth as possible. They have created guides and instructions to help users understand how to move to the new platforms and get started with the Copilot app.

This change shows how quickly things can shift in the world of technology. Copilot was only available on WhatsApp for a little over a year before this policy change forced it to leave. It also demonstrates that even giant companies like Microsoft have to follow the rules set by platform owners like Meta. As AI continues to grow and change how we use technology, we can expect to see more situations like this where platforms and AI providers need to figure out how to work together or go their separate ways.

Microsoft says users who want the full Copilot experience, including voice and image tools, should use the service on its native platforms.