Meta has begun the initial rollout of its Meta AI chatbot to users in the European Union, after a series of delays to comply with the region’s complex data usage rules. While the AI tools available to EU users will be a more limited version compared to those in other regions, this launch marks a significant step.
According to Meta, “It’s taken longer than we would have liked to get our AI technology into the hands of people in Europe as we continue to navigate its complex regulatory system – but we’re glad we’re finally here.” Over the coming weeks, the chat function of Meta AI will be available in six European languages. Meta plans to expand its offering in Europe over time to reach parity with the US.
EU users will find the Meta AI icon in their search options on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. Users will also be able to use @MetaAI in their chats. The company is also launching the AI tools in the United Kingdom.
The primary limitation is that Meta’s AI tools are not being trained on EU user data, in accordance with current EU regulations that are still under review.
Meta has faced regulatory challenges in Europe regarding the rollout of its AI tools, amidst concerns from data protection groups and privacy advocates. Meta had to halt its European AI rollout plans last year after advocacy group NOYB called for further evaluation of the privacy implications of Meta’s AI tools and the construction of its large language models. The company is also involved in legal challenges concerning the use of copyright-protected material within its LLM development, including in France.
Meta, along with other tech companies, criticized Europe’s data regulations last September. In an open letter, they claimed that the regulations were hindering innovation, potentially leaving EU users behind.
The letter stated, “In recent times, regulatory decision-making has become fragmented and unpredictable, while interventions by the European Data Protection Authorities have created huge uncertainty about what kinds of data can be used to train AI models. This means that the next generation of open-source AI models, and products and services that we build on them, won’t understand or reflect European knowledge, culture or languages.”
This situation partially explains why Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been attempting to garner support from U.S. President Donald Trump. The intention is that Trump will back Meta in its ongoing dispute with EU authorities over their increasingly stringent regulations. This strategy may be yielding results, as the Trump Administration has signaled to EU authorities that it could impose trade penalties in response to what it considers over-reaching regulations. Vice President J.D. Vance spoke at a Paris summit on AI last month, promising that the White House would combat excessive regulation.
This support could be part of the reason for this first AI push from Meta. The launch of the chatbot brings its popular offering to millions more users.Meta says that over 700 million people currently interact with its AI chatbot each month, making it the most used AI assistant.
Meta’s expansion into Europe is seen as a crucial step in its efforts to dominate the AI landscape. Even with the limited initial launch, this move could generate further demands for wider access from EU users.
