Meta’s artificial intelligence assistant, Meta AI, has officially rolled out across Europe after enduring through tough regulatory legal battles with the EU.

Meta would now be coming to Europe in both France and 40 different European countries, with its AI-powered virtual assistant, Meta AI being rolled out across Meta's portfolio of social platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and messenger, albeit with a more limited feature compared to what it offers in its domestic U.S market.

Delayed by Privacy Regulations

Meta AI was first introduced in the United States in September 2023, serving as an AI assistant capable of not just chatting and answering questions, but generating images and creating stylistic selfies, among other creative wonders.

Over the last year, Meta has been expanding its Meta AI in a handful of countries across the Middle East and Africa, but it has only reached Europe this week because of its ongoing legal battles with the European Union (EU).

While Meta has been training its AI on user-generated content in the U.S for years, the tech giant has faced pushback in the EU due to the bloc's strict data privacy laws under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the EU’s digital markets framework.

Regulators raised concerns about how Meta planned to use user data for training its AI models. National Publishing Union, which represents book publishers, has noted that numerous works from its members are turning up in Meta's data pool.

Another group, the National Union of Authors and Composers, which represents 700 writers, playwrights and composers, said the lawsuit was necessary to protect members from AI which plunders their works and cultural heritage to train itself.

But after months of negotiation, Meta agreed to adapt its AI for Europe by ensuring that it would not be trained on data from European users. This compliance marked a significant victory for the company, allowing it to finally bring its AI assistant to one of the world’s largest markets.

Meta AI integrates seamlessly with Meta’s platforms, offering users a conversational assistant that can answer questions, provide suggestions, and even curate content using online search engines. But for now, MetaAI in the EU will be limited to what the company bills as an intelligent chat function.

Users can access Meta AI via a blue icon in private or group chats across WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, and Facebook, and ask it any questions that you might ask in a search engine, such as how to carry out a task, or to find out information on topic.

Users will also be able to call on the assistant by typing @MetaAI, and then asking a question. The company stresses that this launch represents its first step in its efforts to bring more AI to Europe, and that it plans to eventually find parity with the U.S over time.

While Meta AI has advanced features like image generation in the United States, these capabilities are not yet available in Europe due to regulatory restrictions. Additionally, plans for celebrity avatars were abandoned globally in 2024 after initial trials failed to gain traction.

Meta’s Bold Ambitions for Global Dominance

Meta AI already boasts 700 million monthly active users worldwide and aims to surpass 1 billion by the end of 2025. To achieve this goal, Meta is investing heavily—up to $65 billion in infrastructure upgrades such as data centers and servers dedicated to AI development.

Mark Zuckerberg is investing all this money in hopes that his company's AI could dominate the market for intelligent assistants against competitors such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude.

Despite its successful rollout in Europe, privacy concerns remain a hot topic. Advocacy groups have criticized Meta for its past handling of user data and have raised questions about how the company will ensure compliance moving forward. While Meta has pledged not to use European user data for training its AI models, regulators continue to monitor its deployment closely.

The arrival of Meta AI marks a significant milestone for artificial intelligence adoption in Europe. By integrating directly into apps millions already use daily, Meta is aiming to make its assistant indispensable in users’ lives. However, its success will depend on whether it can overcome lingering privacy concerns and deliver meaningful value without compromising user trust.

As competition heats up in the AI space, all eyes are on how European users will embrace this new technology—and whether Meta can truly dominate the market against formidable rivals like ChatGPT and Google Gemini.