EU Orders Meta to Open WhatsApp to Rival AI Chatbots; Businesses Face Extinction Due to Nature Loss
BRUSSELS/MADRID/TOKYO - In a series of developments impacting technology, business, and international relations, the European Union has ordered Meta to allow rival AI chatbots access to WhatsApp, while a new report warns businesses of potential extinction due to nature loss. Simultaneously, Spain and Portugal are grappling with a third deadly storm in two weeks, and Muslim-majority countries have condemned Israel's actions in the West Bank. In Japan, the election victory of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is raising regional concerns.
The EU's decision, announced recently, stems from Meta's alleged breach of regulations by blocking other AI firms' chatbots from accessing WhatsApp. According to BBC Technology, the European Commission stated that WhatsApp is a crucial entry point for AI chatbots like ChatGPT to reach users. The Commission claimed Meta was abusing its dominant position. A Meta spokesperson, however, told the BBC that the EU had "no reason" to intervene, claiming the assumption that WhatsApp Business was a key way people use chatbots was "incorrect."
Meanwhile, a major report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (Ipbes), as reported by BBC Business, warns that businesses risk extinction if they fail to protect and restore the natural world. The report, based on contributions from leading scientists and approved by 150 governments, outlines how companies can shift from harmful practices to those that aid nature restoration. The report comes amid major concerns over UK nature loss. Experts are calling for urgent action to restore the natural systems that keep the economy running.
The Iberian Peninsula continues to be battered by severe weather. The Guardian reported that Spain and Portugal have been hit by a third deadly storm in just two weeks, following the devastation caused by Storms Kristin and Leonardo. The storms have brought deadly flooding and significant damage.
In the Middle East, Al Jazeera reported that eight Muslim-majority countries, including Egypt, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia, have condemned Israel for its efforts to impose unlawful Israeli sovereignty in the occupied West Bank. The countries denounced Israel's new measures, which were greenlighted recently, expanding its control and easing land purchases for Israeli settlers.
Finally, Sky News reported that the election victory of Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi could threaten the stability of the region. The analysis suggests that Takaichi's decisive victory could change Japan and the region.
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