The EU’s AI safety guidelines are out, and Meta is already saying no

Meta has decided not to sign the European Union’s new code of practice for artificial intelligence, as stated by a company leader on Friday. The AI code is part of the AI Act, which was enacted into law last year. While the set of laws will apply to the largest AI models, companies have until next year, August 2, to comply. However, participation in the new AI code of practice is voluntary.

Meta’s Stance

Joel Kaplan, Meta’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, made a statement on LinkedIn announcing the company’s choice to opt out of the code. He expressed his concern, stating, “Europe is heading down the wrong path on AI. The European Commission’s Code of Practice for GPAI will stifle the development & deployment of frontier AI models and hinder Europe’s economic growth.”

The AI Act targets AI models that the commission identifies as posing systemic risks that could significantly impact public health, safety, fundamental rights, or society. It also covers foundational models from well-known companies like Meta, OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic.