Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – US tech giant Alphabet’s Google will sign the European Union’s AI Code of Practice on General Purpose AI (GPAI), which seeks to assist firms in complying with the EU’s milestone artificial intelligence regulations, the president of global affairs at Google’s parent business Alphabet, Kent Walker said in a blog post on Wednesday, while still voicing concerns regarding the EU’s AI rules.
The Code, published by the European Commission earlier this month, is a voluntary framework covering transparency, copyright, and safety and security, intended to assist GPAI model providers in complying with the AI Act.
Why is Google signing the voluntary AI framework?
In his blog post, Walker expresses,
“We do so with the hope that this code, as applied, will promote European citizens’ and businesses’ access to secure, first-rate AI tools as they become available.”
He also mentioned, however, that Google is worried the AI Act and code of practice might hinder Europe‘s progress in developing and deploying AI.
“In particular, departures from EU copyright law, steps that slow approvals, or requirements that expose trade secrets could chill European model development and deployment, harming Europe’s competitiveness,”
Walker stated.
What is the purpose of the EU AI code?
This voluntary code complements the EU’s broader AI regulatory framework established to set global benchmarks for safe and transparent AI, with key compliance deadlines starting in August 2025.
The code seeks to ensure legal clarity for signatories on how to fulfill requirements under the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act), including providing summaries of the content used to train their general-purpose AI models and adhering to EU copyright law.
Providers who register are expected to comply with the AI Act and can expect greater legal certainty, while others may face increased inspections. The AI Act’s rules on GPAI come into force on August 2. Companies with existing tools will have two years to conform to the new regulations. Any tools introduced after this date must be compliant immediately.
Which tech giants are supporting or refusing the EU AI framework?
Microsoft is expected to sign the code, according to President Brad Smith in an earlier Reuters interview. Meanwhile, Meta Platforms chose not to sign, citing legal uncertainties for model developers. So far, Meta remains the only major US tech company to reject the voluntary rules.
The European Union implemented regulations for artificial intelligence to establish a potential global standard, as this technology, widely used in business and daily life, and primarily led by the United States and China, gains prominence.
