On October 28, Apple launched “Apple Intelligence” in the United States with great fanfare. These new features, integrated into the iPhone 15 Pro and the latest iPhone 16, promise a revolutionary user experience thanks to AI: automatic text summaries, more powerful Siri voice assistant powered by ChatGPT, intelligent photo editing… There are has something for everyone.
Unfortunately, European users will have to wait to benefit from it, at least until April 2025. A scenario that is repeated with Meta AI, Mark Zuckerberg’s conversational assistant, or even Copilot, Microsoft’s PC assistant which is not only partially available.
European regulations singled out
The tech giants justify these postponements by the complexity of European regulations. The Digital Markets Act (DMA), the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the AI Act form a legislative arsenal without equivalent in the world. These texts, designed to protect consumers and guarantee fair competition, are today accused of slowing down innovation.
The recent decision of the Irish CNIL illustrates this tension. The data protection authority has prohibits Meta from using public content from Facebook and Instagram to train its AI models, unless users explicitly consent. “We cannot retrain our models for several months based on each person’s rules”lamented Joëlle Pinaud, vice-president of Meta in charge of AI research, with the Figaro.
A complex political game
Behind these technical justifications lies a real political standoff. The American giants are adopting different strategies against Brussels. Meta is particularly virulent, multiplying provocative statements. “Europe must not confuse being at the forefront of regulation with being at the forefront of technology”quips Nick Clegg, its president of international affairs.
For his part, Google favors dialogue. The company has joined the European AI pact and continues to launch its products on the continent, even if it means adapting them. A more constructive approach which does not prevent the company from warning of economic risks: according to its estimates, Europe could lose up to $1.4 trillion in generative AI opportunities within ten years.
The timing of this confrontation is not trivial. The European Commission is experiencing a period of transition with the recent departure of Thierry Breton and the planned departure of Margrethe Vestager, two commissioners who have embodied firmness in the face of digital giants. The recent Draghi report, recommending the relaxation of certain regulatory constraints, could herald a change of tone in Brussels.
A debate that divides experts
As for experts, opinions differ on the real impact of European regulations. Jean-Baptiste Bouzige, CEO of Ekimetrics, explains to Le Figaro that “the barrier to innovation is a false beard”. According to him, the majority of professional uses can be achieved with existing AI modelsthe real issue being the ability of companies to exploit them effectively.
Other experts are more worried. Vincent Luciani, boss of Artefact, warns of the risk of a “ratchet effect”: if an AI technology reaches a revolutionary level of performance, European companies deprived of access to it could fall behind irreversibly.
Nothing to worry about, MEP Stéphanie Yon-Courtin, who points out that AI players cannot do without a market made up of 450 million consumers.
- American tech giants are delaying the launch of their AI innovations in Europe, pointing to harsh regulations
- A political standoff begins between businesses and Brussels
- Experts are divided on the real impact of the regulations
