AI Chatbots Face Scrutiny Over Medical Advice and EU Antitrust Concerns
LONDON - February 12, 2026 - Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots are under scrutiny following a University of Oxford study that found their medical advice to be inaccurate and inconsistent, potentially posing risks to users. Simultaneously, the European Union has ordered Meta to allow rival AI firms access to its WhatsApp platform, citing antitrust violations.
The Oxford study, conducted in November 2025, revealed that AI chatbots provided a mix of helpful and unreliable responses to healthcare inquiries, making it difficult for users to discern trustworthy advice. Dr. Rebecca Payne, the lead medical practitioner on the study, warned that seeking medical advice from chatbots could be "dangerous." The research comes as the use of AI for health and wellbeing support is increasing, with a Mental Health UK poll indicating that over one in three UK residents now utilize AI in this capacity.
In a separate development, the European Commission has accused Meta of breaching its rules by preventing rival AI firms from running chatbots on WhatsApp. The EU stated that WhatsApp, which Meta changed on January 15th, is a crucial entry point for AI chatbots like ChatGPT to reach users. The commission alleged that Meta was abusing its dominant position by blocking these competitors. A Meta spokesperson responded to the BBC, stating that the EU had "no reason" to intervene and had made "incorrect" assumptions about the use of WhatsApp Business for chatbots.
In other news, a French prosecutor is appealing for witnesses in the case of 79-year-old former teacher Jacques Leveugle, who is charged with the rape and sexual assault of 89 minors since the 1960s across multiple countries. Prosecutor Etienne Manteaux spoke to reporters in Grenoble to publicize the case, where Leveugle has also confessed to mercy killings.
The news bulletin from Euronews on February 11th, 2026, also highlighted other significant stories, including the ongoing challenges faced by young people and the elderly in Gaza, as reported by Al Jazeera.
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