Background on the EU AI Act and Meta’s Stance
On Friday, the European Commission published guidelines to assist providers of general-purpose AI models in complying with the obligations set by the upcoming Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act, which will take effect on August 2, 2025.
Meta Platforms has decided not to sign the EU’s Code of Good Practices for AI, as its executives believe it introduces legal uncertainties for model developers and goes beyond the scope of the AI Act, potentially hindering the development and deployment of cutting-edge AI models in Europe and disadvantaging European companies.
Meta’s Concerns
Joel Kaplan, Global Affairs Director at Meta, stated that Europe is “going in the wrong direction” regarding AI. After a thorough review of the code, Meta, led by Mark Zuckerberg, will “not sign” it due to introduced legal uncertainties for model developers and measures that exceed the AI Act’s scope.
Kaplan also mentioned that numerous European companies and lawmakers oppose this regulation. Earlier in the month, 44 major European companies—including Bosch, Siemens, SAP, Airbus, and BNP—signed a letter urging the Commission to “halt the clock” on its application.
EU’s AI Guidelines and Benefits
Last week, the European Commission presented a guide of best practices designed by experts from the European AI Office to assist large companies in complying with the initial European regulations for governing risks associated with general-purpose AI systems, such as ChatGPT or Gemini. These regulations will come into effect on August 2, 2025.
These guidelines are voluntary for companies that sign the Code of Good Practices, which still requires formal validation from both the EU Executive and the 27 member states.
The EU Executive argues that signatories of the code will benefit from reduced administrative burdens and increased legal certainty compared to providers demonstrating compliance through other means.
Commission’s Guidelines and Support
On Friday, the European Commission published guidelines to help providers of general-purpose AI models comply with the obligations of the AI Act, which will be in effect starting August 2, 2025.
These guidelines clarify the obligations, provide legal certainty for all AI value chain participants, and complement the General Purpose AI Code of Good Practices.
“With today’s guidelines, the Commission supports the smooth and effective implementation of the AI Act,” said Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice President for Technology Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy. “By providing legal certainty on the scope of AI Act obligations for general-purpose AI providers, we are helping AI actors—from emerging companies to leading developers—innovate with confidence while ensuring their models are secure, transparent, and aligned with European values.”
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the EU AI Act? The EU AI Act is a regulatory framework designed to govern risks associated with general-purpose AI systems, ensuring safety, transparency, and alignment with European values.
- Why is Meta not signing the EU AI Code of Good Practices? Meta believes that the code introduces legal uncertainties for model developers and extends beyond the AI Act’s scope, potentially hindering cutting-edge AI development in Europe and disadvantaging European companies.
- What are the benefits of signing the EU AI Code of Good Practices? Signatories will reportedly experience reduced administrative burdens and increased legal certainty compared to those demonstrating compliance through other means.
- What are the European Commission’s guidelines for AI model providers? The Commission published guidelines to clarify obligations, provide legal certainty for AI value chain participants, and complement the General Purpose AI Code of Good Practices.
