Meta Rejects EU AI Code, Calling It Regulatory Overreach

(RTTNews) - Meta Platforms has refused to sign the European Union's voluntary code of practice for general-purpose AI, arguing that the framework exceeds the scope of the bloc's landmark AI Act and risks stifling innovation.

"Europe is heading down the wrong path on AI," wrote Meta's global affairs chief Joel Kaplan in a LinkedIn post on Friday. "This code introduces legal uncertainties for developers and includes measures that go far beyond the AI Act."

The code, which takes effect next month, is designed to guide companies toward compliance with the EU's risk-based AI Act. It requires documentation of AI systems, bans training on pirated content, and obliges developers to honor content owners opt-out requests.

While OpenAI has pledged to sign the code, several major companies including ASML and Airbus have urged the EU to delay its rollout by two years. Kaplan warned that the rules would "throttle development and deployment of frontier AI models in Europe" and disadvantage businesses building on them.

The European Commission remains firm on its timeline. Starting August 2, providers of advanced AI models such as Meta, Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic must begin complying, with full obligations due by 2027. The Commission also released technical guidelines on Friday to assist with implementation.

Meta's stance highlights growing friction between regulators and tech firms over how far Europe's AI governance should go a debate likely to shape the region's competitiveness in the global AI race.