The upcoming multimodal AI model from Meta may be skipping a massive region in the world, and this is with the European Union, amidst the current clash with its regulators. This was because of the lack of clarity on the EU's data protection rules, with Meta remaining in the dark regarding the regulations in the region, leading to their decision to skip it.
Its next-generation multimodal AI model was regarded by the company to be a massive upgrade to its existing ones known to be under the Llama family.
Meta's New Multimodal AI Model May Not Launch in the EU
Meta
Meta may not be bringing its next-generation multimodal AI model to the European Union once it is released in the future, according to Engadget, as the company is facing several issues with the region's laws. It was regarded that the EU's regulations are not entirely clear regarding its data protection laws, prompting tech companies to hold back in releasing these types of technologies.
Mainly, Meta's concerns reportedly lie in the challenges regarding training its AI models with European user data, allwhile complying with its General Data Protection Regulation or the GDPR.
It was noted that this move by Meta is similar to Apple's decision to temporarily withhold Apple Intelligence features in the EU because of these concerns.
EU's Regulation Uncertainty Prompts AI to Steer Away
With this uncertainty in the EU's data protection laws, Meta and other companies with AI developments are steering away from the region to avoid any problems that may manifest. That being said, Meta is still planning to launch its Llama 3 LLM in the EU, centering on the text-only system according to Axios.
Furthermore, Meta would bring its new AI to the UK despite having the same data protection laws as the EU.
Meta's AI and the EU Region's GDPR
It is already years since Meta first introduced Llama to the world, and it is the company's first take into generative AI which was since then, an open-sourced technology. From 2023 to early this year, the social media company introduced its now widely available Meta AI, its main workhorse for all generative AI features including text, photos, stickers, and more across its platform.
That being said, the tight rules and regulations on AI have been a renowned practice in the world, going strict against the technology, especially with its massive capabilities available to almost everyone. The EU was one of the most notorious with its data privacy and protection rules under its GDPR, and it previously took a significant focus on OpenAI's ChatGPT after it was first flagged by Italy's watchdog.
Because of the current lack of regulatory clarity in the EU regarding artificial intelligence, companies like Apple have decided to halt their launch in the region, with Apple Intelligence stepping away for now. The next to follow suit is Meta, particularly for its next-generation multimodal AI that will see its release in the US, but remains a gray area for the EU.
