Google has announced it will sign the European Union’s new AI Code of Practice, a voluntary set of rules designed to help companies comply with the EU’s groundbreaking AI Act. However, the tech giant is making it clear it’s not entirely happy about it.
In a blog post, Google expressed concerns that the strict new regulations could do more harm than good. “We remain concerned that the AI Act and Code risk slowing Europe’s development and deployment of AI,” the company stated, even while agreeing to sign on.
The move puts Google on a different path from its rival, Meta. Just recently, Meta announced it would not be signing the code. The company’s chief global affairs officer, Joel Kaplan, called the rules an “over-reach” and bluntly said, “Europe is heading down the wrong path on AI.”
The EU’s AI Act is the first major law of its kind from a major global regulator. It’s a comprehensive set of rules designed to govern the powerful new technology. Meanwhile, the United States is still in the very early stages of figuring out its approach to AI regulation.
While the main AI Act was passed in 2024, its many provisions are being rolled out slowly over several years. The Code of Practice is meant to be a temporary bridge to ensure companies start aligning with the new rules before they are fully enforced. The first major deadline for companies with general-purpose AI models is August 2, 2025.
