Meta Platforms, also known as Meta AI, has announced that it will not be launching its AI models in Europe for now.
This decision comes after the Irish privacy regulator, the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), requested that Meta delay its plan to utilize data from Facebook and Instagram users, based on concerns regarding data privacy and the need for consent.
The U.K.’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has also responded to Meta's plans.
The ICO expressed “please” for Meta's decision and emphasized the importance of privacy rights, “trust in privacy protection is crucial for the successful implementation of generative AI technologies”, added Stephen Almond, Executive Director, of Regulatory Risk at the ICO.
However, the delay in launching Meta's AI models in Europe is seen as a setback for innovation and competition in the region's AI development. Meta argues that without access to local information, they would only be able to offer users a second-rate experience.
The company believes that using information, that they promised to be publicly available and licensed online, is essential for providing AI services that are tailored to the diverse languages, geography, and cultural references of European users.
NOYB's Urges to Data Protection Authorities across Europe
The advocacy group NOYB has filed complaints with data protection authorities in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Spain, urging them to take action against Meta.
Max Schrems, the chair of NOYB, commented on Meta's temporary halt in AI plans. He welcomed the development but expressed the need for continued monitoring and determination in the ongoing cases.
NOYB’s chair Max Schrems said: “Meta is basically saying that it can use ‘any data from any source for any purpose and make it available to anyone in the world’, as long as it’s done via ‘AI technology’. This is clearly the opposite of GDPR compliance. ‘AI technology’ is an extremely broad term.”
Meta Blamed Other Tech Companies
Meta justifies its use of personal data for training AI models by emphasizing the importance of providing localized AI experiences to its European users.
The company believes that training its large language models using content that people in the EU have chosen to share publicly on Meta's platforms is essential for delivering AI features that are relevant and tailored to European users' needs.
Meta argues that it is not the only tech company using European user data to train AI models. The company cites examples such as Google and OpenAI, which have also utilized data from European users for AI training. Meta maintains that it is following in the footsteps of these companies and that its data usage practices are in line with industry norms.
Criticism Faced by Meta for Opting-in Users for AI Training
Meta has faced criticism for automatically opting in all of its users for AI training. NOYB has raised concerns about this practice, stating that Meta would require around 400 million European users to actively object to the data usage rather than seeking their explicit consent.