Meta Rolls Out AI Assistant Across Europe After Regulatory Pause

March 20, 2025

Details

  • Meta AI is now available in 41 European countries and 21 overseas territories as of March 20, 2025, initially offering text chat in six languages.
  • The assistant is integrated across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, accessible via a blue circle icon for instant queries and group interactions.
  • Key features at launch include curated content recommendations, integration with web-sourced information, and enhanced WhatsApp group chat support for activities like travel planning and discussions.
  • The European rollout comes after a two-year delay caused by negotiations over compliance with EU regulations, with plans to gradually introduce features that match Meta AI’s broader U.S. offering, including personalization and expanded tools.
  • Meta AI already supports 700 million users globally, marking this as the company’s largest AI expansion since launching in the U.S. in 2023.

Impact

The launch signals Meta’s renewed push to bring advanced AI assistants to heavily regulated European markets. While the European version initially trails its U.S. counterpart, it solidifies Meta’s leadership as Big Tech firms adapt to strict EU compliance frameworks. This move is likely to intensify competition in conversational AI, prompting rivals to accelerate their European offerings under evolving regulatory scrutiny.

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