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Meta<\/a> has postponed the launch of its AI models<\/a> in Europe following guidance from Ireland\u2019s privacy regulators to delay its plans to use data from Facebook and Instagram users, according to the U.S. social media company\u2019s announcement on Friday.<\/p>\n The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) requested that the tech giant delay training its large language model on behalf of the European data protection authorities. Meta said<\/a> on its site that it was \u201cdisappointed\u201d by the decision.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a step backwards for European innovation, competition in AI development and further delays bringing the benefits of AI to people in Europe,\u201d the company said.<\/p>\n In reply, Irish authorities \u201cThe DPC welcomes the decision by Meta to pause its plans to train its large language model using public content shared by adults on Facebook and Instagram across the EU\/EEA,\u201d the Irish regulator responded<\/a>. \u201cThis decision followed intensive engagement between the DPC and Meta. The DPC, in cooperation with its fellow EU data protection authorities, will continue to engage with Meta on this issue,\u201d it continued.<\/p>\n The decision to delay its AI model launch in Europe was due to objections and a plea<\/a> from the advocacy group NOYB (\u201cnone of your business\u201d) last week to data protection authorities in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and Spain to intervene against the company.<\/p>\n NOYB\u2019s chair Max Schrems said: \u201cMeta is basically saying that it can use \u2018any data from any source for any purpose and make it available to anyone in the world\u2019, as long as it\u2019s done via \u2018AI technology\u2019. This is clearly the opposite of GDPR compliance. \u2018AI technology\u2019 is an extremely broad term.\u201d<\/p>\n (Preliminary) noyb win: @Meta<\/a> stops using EU\/EEA data for “Meta AI” after 11 complaints by noyb and mounting criticism by other EU\/EEA data protection authorities! \ud83d\ude00\ud83e\udd42<\/p>\n More: https:\/\/t.co\/bTpIAhBVkI<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/czThdIcNca<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 noyb (@NOYBeu) June 14, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n In a subsequent update following the decision, Schrems added<\/a>: \u201cWe welcome this development, but will monitor this closely. So far there is no official change of the Meta privacy policy, which would make this commitment legally binding. The cases we filed are ongoing and will need a determination.\u201d<\/p>\n \ud83c\udd95 ICO statement in response to Meta’s plans to train #genAI<\/a> with user data.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are pleased that Meta has [\u2026] responded to our request to pause and review plans to use Facebook and Instagram user data to train generative AI.”<\/p>\n Read the full statement: https:\/\/t.co\/3909gKl6nI<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/3Jxn5xKxPg<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ICO \u2013 Information Commissioner’s Office (@ICOnews) June 14, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The U.K.\u2019s Information Commissioner\u2019s Office (ICO) also asked<\/a> Meta to stop its plans until it addressed the concerns raised. Stephen Almond, Executive Director, Regulatory Risk at the ICO, added: \u201cIn order to get the most out of generative AI and the opportunities it brings, it is crucial that the public can trust that their privacy rights will be respected from the outset.\u201d<\/p>\n Meta argued that to serve its European communities, its AI model would need to be trained on relevant information that reflects the \u201cdiverse languages, geography and cultural references of the people in Europe who will use them.<\/p>\n \u201cTo do this, we want to train our large language models that power AI features using the content that people in the EU have chosen to share publicly on Meta\u2019s products and services.\u201d<\/p>\n The company contended that it was not the first company to use data from European users to train AI. The social network claimed it was following the example set by others such as Google<\/a> and OpenAI<\/a>.<\/p>\nComplaints against Meta AI over data protection<\/h2>\n
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Meta points finger at other tech companies<\/h2>\n