Meta has announced the long-awaited launch of its AI-powered virtual assistant, Meta AI, across Europe. The rollout comes nearly a year after regulatory hurdles forced the tech giant to pause its plans, citing privacy concerns and compliance with the European Union’s stringent data protection laws.
Delayed But Now Rolling Out
Meta AI will be made available to users in 41 European countries and 21 overseas territories, including Iceland, Norway, Serbia, and Switzerland, making it the largest expansion of Meta AI till date. The chatbot will be integrated into Meta’s suite of social platforms—WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger—allowing users to interact with the AI assistant seamlessly within these apps.
However, unlike its Indian counterpart, the European version of Meta AI will be significantly restricted in functionality. It will operate exclusively as a text-based assistant, meaning it won’t be able to generate or edit images using AI. Instead, it will primarily assist with brainstorming ideas, planning trips, answering user queries with web-based information, and helping users discover content on Instagram feeds.
Meta acknowledged the regulatory challenges that delayed the launch. Meta spokesperson said to The Verge, "This launch follows almost a year of intensive engagement with various European regulators, and for now, we are only offering a text-only model in the region which wasn’t trained on first-party data from users in the EU." The company also reassured users that it will continue working with regulators to expand AI features in the future.
Privacy Pushback and Regulatory Challenges
Meta AI was first introduced in the US in 2023 and has since expanded to over 40 countries, including India. However, its European debut was stalled due to concerns raised by EU privacy authorities, particularly around the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The Ireland Data Protection Commission had previously ordered Meta to halt the training of its AI models on publicly available posts from Facebook and Instagram users in the EU, citing potential privacy violations. As a result, the AI assistant launching in Europe has not been trained on any EU user data.
Despite these constraints, Meta remains committed to broadening its AI capabilities in the region. "Looking ahead, it’s our ambition to make AI products available to more people around the world," the company stated, adding that it aims to find "parity with the US and expand our offering over time."
What’s Next for Meta AI in Europe?
While Meta AI in Europe is launching with a limited feature set, the company has expressed plans to introduce additional AI-powered capabilities over time. In the US, Meta AI already includes features such as AI-generated images, advanced reasoning abilities, and integrations with Ray-Ban smart glasses. Some of these innovations have been gradually expanding into international markets, and Meta is expected to work towards bringing similar enhancements to its European users.
As Meta AI becomes available across the continent, it marks an important step in the company’s AI strategy—one that balances innovation with the evolving regulatory landscape. "We’re excited to see how Meta AI will shape the future of social experiences in Europe," Meta stated, reinforcing its commitment to making AI-driven tools more accessible while addressing privacy concerns.
For now, European users can explore Meta AI’s chat-based functions and look forward to an expanding suite of AI-powered capabilities in the near future.