Meta AI Will Begin Rolling Out Across 41 European Countries

After nearly a year of regulatory hurdles, Meta has finally begun deploying its conversational AI assistant across the European Union and neighboring countries this week. 

The rollout, which covers 41 European countries and 21 overseas territories, marks Meta’s largest global expansion of Meta AI to date, though European users will initially access only a limited version of the technology.

European users will initially have access to what Meta describes as an “intelligent chat function” available in six European languages: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, and Italian. 

Unlike the US version launched in 2023, the European iteration won’t include creative features like image generation and stylistic selfies that American users have enjoyed since last year.

“It’s taken longer than we would have liked to get our AI technology into the hands of people in Europe as we continue to navigate its complex regulatory system,” Meta stated in its announcement. 

The company faced significant challenges with European privacy authorities, particularly Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC), which serves as Meta’s lead regulator in the EU.

Integration Across Meta’s Platform Ecosystem

The AI assistant will be integrated across Meta’s suite of applications, including WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. Users can access Meta AI by tapping a blue circle icon within these apps to initiate conversations.

“Having a reliable and intelligent assistant is already proving to be one of the real values that this generation of AI creates,” Meta emphasized in its rollout announcement. 

The company highlighted that Meta AI is already used by over 700 million monthly active users globally.

One key feature is the ability to summon Meta AI in group conversations. Users can activate the assistant in group chats by typing @MetaAI followed by their prompt or question. 

This functionality will initially be available in WhatsApp before expanding to Messenger and Instagram Direct Messaging in the near future.

Future Expansion Plans

Meta has indicated this limited release is just “the first step” in its ongoing efforts to bring more AI capabilities to European users. 

The company continues to work with regulators to expand its AI features in the region, with plans to eventually achieve parity with the US version that includes personalization, memory features, and extended creative functions.

The Ireland-based Data Protection Commission has confirmed it “will keep it under review as it rolls out to users over the coming weeks.” 

Meanwhile, the European Commission is reviewing Meta’s risk assessment to ensure compliance with the Digital Services Act before the full regional deployment.

The Meta AI rollout represents a significant advancement in bringing AI assistants to mainstream social platforms despite Europe’s stringent regulatory framework.

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