Key Points
- Elon Musk’s company, xAI, will only sign the “safety and security” chapter of the EU’s new AI code of practice.
- The company is refusing to sign the other two chapters on transparency and copyright.
- xAI criticized the other parts of the code, calling them “profoundly detrimental to innovation.”
- The EU code is a voluntary guide for companies to comply with the new, wide-ranging AI Act.
Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, announced it will sign the safety and security chapter of the European Union’s new code of practice for AI. However, the company is taking a firm stand against other parts of the voluntary code, highlighting a growing split in how Big Tech is handling Europe’s new AI rules.
In a post on its X social media platform, xAI said it supports AI safety but called the other parts of the code “profoundly detrimental to innovation.” The company was especially critical of the copyright provisions, calling them a clear “over-reach.”
The EU’s new code is a voluntary guide designed to help companies comply with the bloc’s landmark AI Act. It has three main chapters: one on safety and security, one on transparency, and one on copyright. While signing is optional, it offers companies some legal certainty as they navigate the new regulations.
xAI’s selective approach puts it somewhere in the middle of its competitors. Google has said it will sign the entire code, and Microsoft has indicated it will likely do the same.
On the other end, Meta (Facebook’s parent company) has refused to sign at all, citing legal uncertainties and claiming the measures go beyond the scope of the AI Act.
