BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Meta Platforms announced on Friday that it would postpone the launch of its Meta AI models in Europe. This decision follows a directive from the Irish privacy regulator regarding data usage from Facebook and Instagram users.
Meta’s decision followed complaints and a plea by NOYB to data protection authorities across Europe. The advocacy group urged action against Meta in multiple countries.
At issue is Meta’s plan to use personal data to train its artificial intelligence (AI) models without seeking consent, although the company has said it would use publicly available and licensed online information.
Meta on Friday said the Irish privacy watchdog had asked it to delay training its large language models (LLMs) using public content shared by Facebook and Instagram adult users.
“We’re disappointed by the request from the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), our lead regulator, on behalf of the European DPAs … particularly since we incorporated regulatory feedback and the European DPAs have been informed since March,” the company said in an updated blogpost.
It said the Irish request is a step backwards for European innovation and competition in AI development.
“Put simply, without including local information we’d only be able to offer people a second-rate experience. This means we aren’t able to launch Meta AI in Europe at the moment,” Meta said.
The DPC welcomed Meta’s pause, saying its decision came after intensive engagement with the regulator.
As discussions continue, stakeholders will closely monitor how Meta adapts its AI models to meet regulatory standards while maintaining innovation and user trust across its platforms.
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