TLDR
- Meta will not launch its upcoming multimodal AI model in the European Union due to regulatory concerns
- This decision follows Apple’s similar move to exclude the EU from its Apple Intelligence rollout
- Meta cites the “unpredictable nature of the European regulatory environment” as the reason
- The company will still release a text-only version of Llama 3 in the EU
- This trend could potentially put European companies at a disadvantage in the global AI race
Meta has announced it will not launch its upcoming multimodal AI model in the European Union. This decision, citing concerns over the region’s regulatory environment, follows a similar move by Apple and signals a worrying trend for the EU’s position in the global AI race.
Meta’s multimodal AI model, capable of processing video, audio, images, and text, was set to be released under an open license.
However, the company has decided to withhold this advanced technology from the EU market due to what it describes as the “unpredictable nature of the European regulatory environment.”
A Meta spokesperson stated,
“We will release a multimodal Llama model over the coming months, but not in the EU due to the unpredictable nature of the European regulatory environment.”
This announcement comes just days after the EU finalized compliance deadlines for its new AI Act, giving tech companies until August 2026 to comply with rules surrounding copyright, transparency, and specific AI applications.
The decision by Meta, following Apple’s earlier move to exclude the EU from its Apple Intelligence rollout, highlights a growing willingness among U.S. tech giants to withhold products from European customers.
This trend could have significant implications for the EU’s technological landscape and its ability to compete in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence.
Meta’s concerns appear to stem not from the upcoming AI Act itself, but rather from uncertainties surrounding compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), particularly regarding the use of user data from Facebook and Instagram to train AI models.
The company had announced plans in May to use publicly available posts for model training, but faced regulatory pushback in June, leading to a pause in training on EU data.
The withholding of these advanced AI models creates a challenging situation for companies both inside and outside the EU. European firms may find themselves unable to utilize cutting-edge AI technologies, potentially putting them at a disadvantage compared to their global competitors.
Meanwhile, non-EU companies hoping to offer products and services that use these models may be unable to do so in one of the world’s largest economic markets.
David McInerney, commercial manager at Cassie, a consent and preference management platform, highlighted the complexity of the situation:
“Under GDPR, an individual essentially has the right to challenge any automated decision. But as AI has grown exponentially, human knowledge and understanding has not kept pace.”
The EU, for its part, maintains that its AI legislation is designed to foster technological innovation within a clear regulatory framework. European officials have emphasized the need to address potential risks associated with AI, including threats to safety and security, as well as possible job losses. They argue that public trust in AI is crucial for technological progress in Europe.
However, the retreat of major tech companies from offering advanced AI services in the EU could significantly impact commerce in the region. It may limit the availability of cutting-edge tools for businesses, potentially hindering EU companies’ ability to compete globally and slowing innovation in areas such as personalized marketing, customer service automation, and AI-driven business analytics.
As the implementation of the AI Act approaches, the European Commission is tasked with developing guidelines and secondary legislation on various aspects of the Act. The tech industry eagerly awaits these guidelines, particularly those on implementing the AI system definition and prohibited practices.
The situation also presents an opportunity for tech industry leadership. As McInerney noted,
“Meta has the opportunity to change the narrative and set the tone for Big Tech by prioritizing consumer privacy in a way that hasn’t been done by many large tech companies.”
