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Google Bard, the notable rival to search giant ChatGPT, has been introduced in 180 countries and territories across the globe. However, the European Union, home to around 450 million people, has been conspicuously left out of Bard’s availability, leaving experts and lawmakers surprised. Google has remained tight-lipped about the reasons behind this exclusion, leading to speculations that it may be a response to the EU’s privacy and online safety regulations. Furthermore, it raises concerns about the compatibility of generative AI technology with the existing and evolving EU laws.
Brando Benifei, a leading MEP overseeing Europe’s negotiations on artificial intelligence rules, expresses his puzzlement over the EU’s omission from Bard’s rollout, considering it a significant issue. Experts interviewed by WIRED suggest that Google’s decision may be a strategic message to convey its dissatisfaction with the EU’s privacy and online safety laws. Moreover, it highlights the potential incompatibility between current privacy regulations and the functionality of generative AI technology within the EU.
Uncertainty Surrounding Bard’s Rollout in the European Union:
The timing of the uncertainty surrounding Bard’s introduction in the EU coincides with the ongoing negotiations of new draft rules governing artificial intelligence through the emerging AI Act. Additionally, existing legislation such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Digital Services Act (DSA) might also contribute to the delay in deploying generative AI systems within the EU.
Nicolas Moës, director of European AI governance at think tank The Future Society, suggests that Google could be leveraging Bard’s absence to influence MEPs before the approval of the AI Act, potentially swaying their votes and encouraging a second thought about regulating foundational AI models. Moës points out that Google is not alone in attempting to incentivize policymakers to ease regulations in this manner; even Meta, the parent company of Facebook, refrained from launching BlenderBot, its own generative AI chatbot, in the EU.
Curiously, Google has made its generative AI services available in a few select territories within European countries. This includes the Norwegian dependency of Bouvet Island, an uninhabited island in the South Atlantic Ocean housing 50,000 penguins. Bard is also accessible in the Åland Islands, an autonomous region of Finland, as well as the Norwegian territories of Jan Mayen and Svalbard.
Tobias Judin, head of the international department at Norway’s data protection authority, finds it “very strange” that Bard can be utilized in these territories since European data rules still apply to a large extent. He suggests that it could either be an oversight on Google’s part or a reflection of more lenient regulations in these remote locations. It’s worth noting that Norway, although not an EU member, is part of the European Economic Area (EEA).
Google’s Response and the Power Struggle:
Google declined to comment on Bard’s availability in these specific territories or the allegations of attempting to influence AI policy by withholding the chatbot and other generative AI products from the EU. However, Google spokesperson Delia Williams-Falokun mentioned that expansion plans for Bard are still being finalized and that Google aims to gradually and responsibly roll out the technology, while maintaining an engaged partnership with regulators.
