Meta has paused the development of its AI assistant in Europe following objections from the Irish Data Protection Commission, according to a report by The Verge.
This decision highlights the ongoing tensions between technology companies and European regulators over data privacy issues.
The Irish Data Protection Commission requested Meta to suspend training its large language models on content publicly posted on Facebook and Instagram profiles.
Meta expressed disappointment at this request, stating that it had informed European regulators of its plans as early as March.
The company also noted that competitors like Google and OpenAI have already utilised European data to train their AI systems.
Meta warned that without the ability to use user data for model training, it could only offer a substandard product.
Consequently, Meta has decided not to launch its AI assistant, Meta AI, in Europe for the time being.
European regulators welcomed Meta’s decision to pause.
Stephen Almond, Executive Director of Regulatory Risk at the UK Information Commissioner’s Office, commented, “We are pleased that Meta has considered the concerns shared by users of their service in the UK and has responded to our request to suspend and review their plans for using Facebook and Instagram user data to train generative AI.”
The delay in Meta’s AI project may be attributed to the advocacy group NOYB (None of Your Business), which has filed 11 complaints against Meta in various European countries.
NOYB’s founder, Max Schrems, stated that the complaints are based on the legal foundation regarding Meta’s collection of personal data.
“Meta essentially claims it can use any data from any source for any purpose and make it available to anyone in the world if it is done through AI technology,” Schrems said. “This clearly contradicts compliance with the GDPR.”
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a regulation on data protection and privacy for all individuals within the European Union and the European Economic Area. It has been in effect since April 2016, setting stringent guidelines on how companies can collect and use personal data.
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