Meta calls EU's AI code overreach, will not sign it

Meta Platforms said it won't sign the code of practice for Europe's new set of laws governing artificial intelligence, calling the guidelines to help companies follow the AI Act overreach.

"Europe is heading down the wrong path on AI," Meta's head of global affairs Joel Kaplan said in a post on LinkedIn. "This code introduces a number of legal uncertainties for model developers, as well as measures which go far beyond the scope of the AI Act."

The European Union published the code of practice earlier this month. It's a voluntary framework meant to help companies put processes in place to stay in line with the bloc's sprawling AI Act, and includes copyright protections for creators and transparency requirements for advanced AI models. It also requires developers to provide documentation to describe their AI models' features. Agreeing to the code can give companies more legal protection if they're accused of falling foul of the act.

It's the latest flashpoint between US tech companies and European regulators seeking to rein in their market power. US President Donald Trump's administration, which has lambasted the bloc's tech regulations and fines as unfairly targeting US firms, had reached out to the EU to argue against the code of practice in April, before it was finalised.

Dozens of European companies including ASML Holding, Airbus SE and Mistral AI also asked the European Commissionto suspend the AI Act's implementation for two years.