Meta Halts EU Launch of Multimodal AI Model Amid Regulatory Concerns

Meta has announced it will not launch its new multimodal AI model in the European Union due to regulatory concerns. This decision mirrors Apple's recent choice to exclude the EU from its Apple Intelligence rollout, highlighting a trend of tech giants hesitating to introduce advanced AI technologies in the region.

Meta's multimodal AI model, designed to handle video, audio, images, and text, was set for release under an open license. However, this decision means European companies will miss out on this innovative technology, potentially falling behind in the global AI race.

"We will release a multimodal Llama model over the coming months, but not in the EU due to the unpredictable nature of the European regulatory environment," a Meta spokesperson explained. Despite this, a text-only version of Meta's Llama 3 model is still expected to launch in the EU.

This announcement comes just after the EU finalized compliance deadlines for its new AI Act, which requires tech companies to meet rules on copyright, transparency, and specific AI applications by August 2026.

The withholding of these advanced AI models from the EU market creates a significant challenge for companies within the region, making it difficult to compete in one of the world's largest economic markets.

Meta plans to use its multimodal AI models in products like the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses. This EU exclusion will also apply to future multimodal AI model releases.