In a significant move reflecting growing caution among tech giants, Meta has announced it will not launch its upcoming multimodal AI model in the European Union due to regulatory uncertainties. This decision follows Apple's recent exclusion of the EU from its Apple Intelligence rollout, indicating a trend of major tech companies hesitating to introduce advanced AI technologies in the region.

Meta's latest multimodal AI model, designed to handle video, audio, images, and text, was initially slated for release under an open license. However, the company's decision will prevent European businesses from leveraging this technology, potentially disadvantaging them in the global AI landscape.

A Meta spokesperson stated, "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." Despite this, a text-only version of Meta’s Llama 3 model is still expected to be launched in the EU.

This announcement comes just days after the EU finalized compliance deadlines for its new AI Act. The legislation, which tech companies must adhere to by August 2026, includes rules on copyright, transparency, and specific AI applications like predictive policing.

The exclusion of advanced AI models from the EU market presents a significant challenge for companies outside the region, particularly those intending to offer products and services utilizing these models in one of the world’s largest economic markets.

Meta plans to integrate its multimodal AI models into products such as the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses. According to Axios, the exclusion from the EU will apply to future multimodal AI model releases as well.

As more tech giants potentially follow this path, the EU may face difficulties in maintaining its technological innovation leadership while addressing concerns about AI's societal impacts.