Meta’s AI Chatbot Debuts in Europe: WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram Get Smart Assistant
Staff Editor Meta Launches AI Chatbot in Europe After Year-Long Delay
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, has announced the rollout of its AI chatbot across 41 European countries and 21 overseas territories. The launch comes after a year-long delay due to privacy concerns raised by Ireland’s privacy watchdog.
The AI assistant, initially introduced in the United States in 2023, will be available on Meta’s popular platforms: WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. However, European users will only have access to text-based chat features for now.
Meta AI’s primary functions include assisting users with brainstorming, trip planning, and answering questions using web-based information. On Instagram, European users can utilize AI to locate specific content within the app.
Notably, the current version of Meta AI for Europe lacks image generation and editing capabilities, as well as the ability to answer questions about photos. The company has emphasized that the model has not been trained on data from EU users.
Over the past year, Meta has engaged extensively with European regulators to address concerns and ensure compliance. The text-only model deployed in Europe was developed without using first-party data from EU users, a move aimed at alleviating privacy worries.
Nick Clegg, Meta’s President of Global Affairs, stated, “We are committed to working closely with regulators to ensure proper service and access to AI innovations in Europe.”
While some AI features were introduced in Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses in the EU last November, these devices do not support multimodal features that interact with visual input.
Looking ahead, Meta has expressed its intention to expand AI features in Europe to match those available in the United States. The company plans to enhance its offerings gradually, aiming for feature parity across regions.
As AI technology continues to evolve, Meta’s European launch marks a significant step in the global expansion of AI-powered digital assistants, albeit with careful consideration of regional privacy regulations.
