TLDR: Google has announced its commitment to sign the European Union’s Code of Practice for generative AI, a move that starkly contrasts with Meta’s recent refusal to endorse the same guidelines. This decision by Google, the largest company to date to sign the voluntary code, signals a significant strategic divergence among major tech firms regarding the EU’s comprehensive AI regulations, lending considerable weight to the European Commission’s regulatory efforts.
In a pivotal development for artificial intelligence regulation, Google confirmed on July 30, 2025, its intention to sign the European Union’s Code of Practice for generative AI. This endorsement marks a significant strategic split within the Big Tech landscape concerning the bloc’s ambitious new regulations, particularly as it directly counters Meta’s public refusal to adhere to the same guidelines. Google’s decision is seen as a major political victory for the European Commission as it rolls out its landmark AI Act.
The divergence among US tech giants became evident just a week prior when Joel Kaplan, Meta’s global affairs chief, publicly stated the company’s refusal to sign the voluntary code. Kaplan criticized the code as an overreach that would ‘stunt’ the industry, arguing that ‘Europe is heading down the wrong path on AI. This code introduces a number of legal uncertainties for model developers, as well as measures which go far beyond the scope of the AI Act.’ This position frames the EU’s regulatory approach as detrimental to innovation.
Conversely, Google’s endorsement creates a powerful counter-narrative. As the largest company to commit to the code, its compliance significantly bolsters the EU’s regulatory framework. Google joins other key signatories, including European AI leaders like France’s Mistral AI and Germany’s Aleph Alpha, effectively isolating Meta and increasing pressure on other US firms to align with the EU’s regulatory vision. Meanwhile, Microsoft has pursued a distinct long-term strategy, positioning itself as a steadfast European partner through initiatives like its five ‘European Digital Commitments’ aimed at building trust.
The EU AI Act, enacted in March of the previous year, is the first legislation specifically designed to address the risks associated with artificial intelligence, including biometric categorization and manipulation of human behavior, alongside stricter rules for generative AI. The Act’s enforcement is phased, with rules for generative AI models, such as ChatGPT, coming into effect on August 2, 2025. These rules mandate developers to assess and mitigate systemic risks, conduct adversarial testing, ensure cybersecurity, report serious incidents to the European Commission, and disclose energy usage. The overarching goal is to prevent harms related to bias, misinformation, manipulation, and a lack of transparency in AI systems.
To facilitate compliance, the EU introduced the General-Purpose AI Code of Practice, a voluntary tool developed by 13 independent experts with input from over 1,000 stakeholders. This Code, finalized on July 9, 2025, is designed to help the industry meet the AI Act’s requirements for general-purpose AI. It comprises three chapters: Transparency and Copyright, applicable to all providers of general-purpose AI models, and Safety and Security, relevant for providers of the most advanced models. Signatories to the Code benefit from reduced administrative burden and increased legal certainty compared to those proving compliance through other means.
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Beyond generative AI, the AI Act also prohibits specific activities, including biometric categorization systems that claim to sort people based on politics, religion, sexual orientation, and race. Untargeted scraping of facial images from the internet or CCTV, and emotion recognition in the workplace and educational institutions, are also banned. The next phase of the Act, focusing on high-risk AI systems in sectors like healthcare, law enforcement, and critical infrastructure, will become enforceable from August 2026. This comprehensive regulatory push by Europe underscores a growing divergence from the US approach, where a re-elected Trump administration has launched a looser AI Action Plan, prioritizing innovation with minimal restrictions.
