Meta and Spotify have joined forces to express their concerns about the AI Act, the European Union's legislation regulating artificial intelligence (AI) use. Both companies argue that the current regulation could hinder European innovation and competitiveness, especially in open-source AI.
Meta, known as the parent company of Facebook, emphasizes that the AI law could restrict access to its open-source models, such as Llama, which are already being used in areas such as medical research. The company stresses that open source is essential to democratizing access to AI and allowing small businesses and developers to benefit from the latest advances at low cost. However, Meta warns that regulatory fragmentation in Europe, characterized by inconsistent and overlapping regulations, creates an unfavorable environment for technological innovation.
On the other hand, Spotify, another major European tech giant, fears that pre-emptive regulation of emerging technologies, such as open-source AI, could stifle development on the continent. These concerns come after Spotify integrated AI to personalize the user experience and discover new artists. The music giant proposes simplifying the regulatory framework to strengthen the ecosystem of creators and developers in Europe.
Both companies criticize the lack of consistency in applying the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as an example of how current regulations can hinder technological progress and point to the delayed training of Meta's AI models due to regulatory uncertainty on the "old continent."
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, has pointed out that laws intended to strengthen European sovereignty and competitiveness have the opposite effect. The complexity and inconsistency of the regulatory environment are cited as the main reasons for Europe's lack of technological competitiveness compared to the United States and Asia.
Meta and Spotify agree that Europe needs a new regulatory approach that is clear, consistent, and conducive to innovation. At a time when technology is advancing rapidly, they warn that Europe is in danger of missing a unique opportunity to lead the next wave of technological innovation. A regulatory environment supporting the adoption of open-source AI could be vital to ensuring Europe remains competitive globally
