Meta, Spotify execs target European AI regulations By Reuters

(Reuters) – Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Spotify (NYSE: ) CEO Daniel Ek criticized European regulations on open-source artificial intelligence, saying the continent risks being left behind by complex rules.

Europe, which “has more open-source developers than America,” is well-placed to make the most of the open-source AI wave, the CEOs said in a joint statement on Friday.

“However, its fragmented regulatory structure, riddled with inconsistent implementation, stifles innovation and hinders developers.”

The CEOs said Europe’s tech industry was faced with “overlapping regulations and inconsistent guidance on how to comply” instead of clear rules.

A simplified regulatory framework would not only accelerate the growth of open source AI, but also provide support to European developers and the wider creator ecosystem, they said.

Ireland’s privacy regulator in June asked Meta not to launch its AI models in Europe for now after the company was told to delay plans to harness data from Facebook (NASDAQ: ) and Instagram users.

Given the current regulations, Meta will not be able to launch its future AI models, such as the multimodal Llama, which has the ability to understand images, in Europe.

That would mean Europeans would be left “with AI built for someone else,” the executives said.

Spotify pointed to its early investment in AI to create personalized experiences for users, which led to the streaming service’s success.

Laws that were designed to increase European sovereignty and competitiveness are achieving the opposite, they said, adding that Europe should “simplify and harmonize regulations by harnessing the benefits of a single but diverse market”.

The CEOs concluded that Europe needs a new approach, with clearer policies and more consistent enforcement, adding that it will miss a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” on its current path.

The EU Commission did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.