Meta delays launch of Meta AI in Europe over disagreement with regulators

Meta won’t roll out its new Meta AI features in the European Union until regulators there allow it to train its large language models on local users’ data.

It said it will delay its plan to train its large language models on Facebook and Instagram content from users in the European Union after intervention by the Irish Data Protection Commission.

Meta’s global engagement director for privacy policy, Stefano Fratta, said in a blog post that until Meta is allowed to use Europeans’ information to train its LLMs, it will not launch Meta AI in Europe.

“We’re disappointed by the request from the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), our lead regulator, on behalf of the European DPAs, to delay training our large language models (LLMs) using public content shared by adults on Facebook and Instagram — particularly since we incorporated regulatory feedback and the European DPAs have been informed since March,” he wrote. “This is a step backwards for European innovation, competition in AI development and further delays bringing the benefits of AI to people in Europe.”

Privacy advocacy group NOYB speculated that a flurry of complaints from it and other organizations led to the Irish DPC’s request.

But NOYB still has concerns. Max Schrems, the organization’s chair, said in a statement, “We welcome this development but will monitor it closely. So far, there has been no official change to the Meta privacy policy that would make this commitment legally binding. The cases we have filed are ongoing and will require an official decision.” 

“The Meta press release reads a bit like ‘collective punishment’,” he added. “If one European insists on his or her rights, the whole continent will not get our shiny new products. But Meta has every opportunity to deploy AI based on valid consent — it just chooses not to do so.”

The Irish DPC did not elaborate on the reasons for its request for a delay.

In a brief statement, it merely said, “The DPC welcomes the decision by Meta to pause its plans to train its large language model using public content shared by adults on Facebook and Instagram across the EU/EEA.” The European Economic Area (EEA) consists of the 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein. The DPC continued, “This decision followed intensive engagement between the DPC and Meta. The DPC, in co-operation with its fellow EU data protection authorities, will continue to engage with Meta on this issue.” It provided no further information about the engagements.

EU regulators may not be the only ones with concerns about Meta AI. “This delay will also enable us to address specific requests we have received from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), our UK regulator, ahead of starting the training,” Meta’s Fratta wrote in his blog post. The UK left the EU in January 2020, but continues to operate a similar data protection regime.