Mark Zuckerberg and Daniel Ek, the CEOs of Meta and Spotify respectively, have issued a joint statement urging Europe to embrace open-source artificial intelligence (AI) to avoid falling behind in technological advancements. They argue that incoherent and complex regulations are hindering innovation and could lead to Europe missing out on significant economic opportunities.

Zuckerberg and Ek emphasize the transformative potential of AI, noting its capacity to enhance human productivity, accelerate scientific progress, and contribute trillions of dollars to the global economy. However, they caution that without equitable access to this technology, disparities will grow between those who can leverage AI and those who cannot.

"Meta open-sources many of its AI technologies," Zuckerberg states, highlighting that these models are already being used by public institutions and researchers for various purposes, including speeding up medical research. He notes that Europe is well-positioned to benefit from open-source AI due to its large number of developers but is currently hampered by fragmented regulatory structures.

Ek reflects on Spotify's success as a European tech company, attributing much of it to early investments in AI. He sees substantial potential for open-source AI in the streaming industry, particularly in helping artists get discovered. However, he warns that Europe's complex regulatory environment could stifle such innovations.

The CEOs specifically criticize the uneven application of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which they claim creates delays and uncertainty. "Meta has been told to delay training its models on content shared publicly by adults on Facebook and Instagram—not because any law has been violated but because regulators haven’t agreed on how to proceed," Zuckerberg explains.

They argue that current laws intended to boost European sovereignty and competitiveness are having the opposite effect. Many European executives across various industries cite regulatory complexity as a barrier to competitiveness.

Zuckerberg and Ek call for a simplified and harmonized regulatory approach within Europe. They stress that clear policies and consistent enforcement are essential for fostering competition and innovation while protecting individuals. They believe that with the right regulatory environment, Europe could lead the next generation of tech innovation.

"We believe that open-source AI can help European organisations make the most of this new technology by levelling the playing field," they conclude, expressing hope that the EU will not limit these possibilities through restrictive regulations.

The article originally appeared in The Economist© The Economist Newspaper Limited, London, 2024.