Google Backs EU AI Code While Meta Holds Out, Raising Stakes for Tech Regulation

Alphabet's Google has endorsed the European Union's voluntary AI code of conduct, marking a strategic concession ahead of the bloc's sweeping AI Act implementation. Kent Walker, Alphabet's president of global affairs, framed the decision as a balancing act—supporting regulatory clarity while warning of potential innovation drag. "We're signing with the hope this Code will promote access to secure, first-rate AI tools," Walker stated, before cautioning that excessive requirements could handicap Europe's technological competitiveness.

The MOVE isolates Meta as the lone holdout among major U.S. tech firms, intensifying pressure as regulators globally sharpen scrutiny on AI development. Google specifically flagged concerns about copyright divergences, approval bottlenecks, and forced disclosure of proprietary algorithms—issues that could reshape how AI models are deployed across the continent.