In the midst of the ongoing battle with regulation to European privacy authorities, Meta announced On Thursday that the AI's virtual assistant it runs, Meta AI, is finally launching the European Union. Chatbot -like tool will be released in the meta portfolio of social platforms, even with a more limited feature compared to what it offers in the US domestic market.
Separately, Meta also confirmed in Techcrunch that Meta AI is coming to WhatsApp in the UK, which is now limited to Facebook, Instagram, and Ray-Ban Meta glasses since it launched there in October.
Meta AI is available in the US Since 2023that serves as an AI assistant capable of not only chatting and answering questions, but forming images, creates Stylistic selfiesbesides the rest Creative phenomenon. These features are not yet available in the European version.
Last month, a version based on Meta Ai chat also Reached a number of countries Throughout the Middle East and Africa. And now, starting this week, Meta AI will be released in all 27 EU countries, including additional 14 European countries (and 21 territories overseas) including Iceland, Norway, Serbia, and Switzerland.
As well as the ability to chat one by one with the assistant in various meta apps, Meta AI will be available in group chats, although the launch will be staggered-along with the slated feature to appear first in WhatsApp, the same EU and-as mentioned-the UK UK
Privacy Pushback
Launching the EU of Meta AI marked the latest Facebook parent company efforts to spread its AI throughout Bloc in the face of regulatory concerns about taping user data to train AI models.
While Meta has been Practice in its AI In the content that the user generated in the US for many years, the tech giant (included Other) is faced with pushback to the EU due to bloc's comprehensive Privacy Regulations – Includes General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – which means there is a need to have a valid legal basis for processing people's information to train AI models.
In spite of these challenges, during May Meta Regional users began to notify of an upcoming change in privacy policy informing them it will begin to use content from their comments, contact, status, photo and caption update for AI training. The company Argued That processing of this data is required for its AI model to demonstrate “different languages, geography and references to the culture of people in Europe.”
However, in June, Meta was forced to Put these plans on ice Following the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) investigation, the META protection of the EU's meta data protection of the EU, which has raised concerns about the way Meta's permission from users have been raised to process their data.
In short, Meta has implemented a heavy opt-out process (meaning users have to act to avoid their data to become AI training fodder) rather than a simple opt-in-along with the company that relies on a legal basis of GDPR known as “legitimate interest,” claiming these actions compliant with law. However, the DPC did not agree and Meta was forced to reflect on its approach.
The TechCrunch company confirmed that the AI Assistant version it launched in the EU was not trained in local users' data – therefore why it said it would not inform users or otherwise seeking their permission, as it claimed that the technology was not trained in their information.
“The model that runs these AI meta features is not trained in first-party data from EU users,” Anna Dack, manager of modern meta, EMEA, at TechCrunch.
Meta first faced similar regulatory concerns in the UK, which (since Brexit) has been sitting outside the EU – but there is still a GDPr -based data protection regime.
Last Tag -Day, the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) Meta asks to -Pause AI training plans Over the concerns about how it helps itself with user data. But after the company its opt-out process suitsThis is done Calmly less heavyMeta continued Launch Meta AI in the UK – without clear objection from the UK regulator, even the ICO said to “track the situation”.
When asked if Meta's AI efforts were still trained in UK users' data, a speaker was directed at its techcrunch Posting an announcement Back in September, where it said it would start training its models in the user's content “in the coming months,” suggesting that it was not ready for the public stage.
'Intelligent Chat'
Today, Meta AI in the EU is limited to what the company's bills as an “intelligent chat” in six European languages: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, and Italian.
Like standing, the tool is usually a chatbot baked in various meta apps, including WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, and Facebook itself. How it works is that you have a small icon of blue circle to summon the assistant, and ask it any question you can ask in a search engine, such as how to perform a task, or to find out the information on a topic.
As mentioned above, this feature will also interfere with group chats but this launch has been staggered -starting with WhatsApp, before expanding Messenger and Instagram directly messaging “soon.
Users can call the assistant by typing “@metai”, and then ask – for example, where to go for dinner, or the leading tourist attraction to a given city.
While Meta said in its announcement that Meta AI has “an advanced understanding of what you are looking for,” it says it is not reference to any kind of personalized suggestions based on user data; Marketing claim is only in the context of finding content more easily and intuitively, it suggests.
However, the company emphasizes that this launch represents its “first step” in its efforts to bring more AI to Europe, and its plans will eventually “find consistency in the US” over time. This means more tussles between the meta – which It became critical of European AI regulations – and EU regulators.
The Techcrunch reached the DPC to request its response to Meta AI for the EU announcement.
“The DPC, as the Lead Supervisory authority for the meta, has evaluated Meta AI in recent months with our colleague administration authorities throughout EU/EEA and we will keep it in review as it rolls with users in the coming weeks,” a spokesman said.
