Google has thrown its weight behind the European Union’s artificial intelligence code of practice, marking a significant endorsement for Brussels as American officials and tech giants attempt to challenge the bloc’s expanding digital regulations. The tech giant’s decision emerged Wednesday through Kent Walker, Alphabet’s president of global affairs and chief legal officer, who expressed both support for the initiative and reservations about its potential impact on Europe’s AI competitiveness.
This strategic move delivers a crucial win for the European Commission just weeks before its comprehensive AI Act takes effect. The code serves as a framework for general AI models to comply with the law, fitting into the EU’s broader digital regulatory agenda. Google’s participation ramps up pressure on remaining holdouts, particularly Meta, to either join the initiative or maintain their opposition amid growing public and regulatory attention.
Google’s Conditional Support Reveals Industry Tensions
Kent Walker made Google’s position crystal clear—their support comes with significant caveats. “We’re signing 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 stated. However, he cautioned that the EU’s regulatory approach “risks slowing Europe’s development and deployment of AI.”
The executive outlined three primary concerns: potential departures from established EU copyright law, regulatory processes that could slow product launches, and transparency demands that might force companies to reveal proprietary information. “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,” Kent emphasized.
The AI code targets companies developing advanced models like Gemini, GPT-4, and Llama. Google now stands alongside OpenAI and French AI startup Mistral as official signatories. Microsoft remains on the sidelines for now, though company president Brad Smith indicated earlier this month that signing was “likely” in their future.
BREAKING:
Meta won't sign the EU's AI Act, calling it "overreach"
zuck walking away from the AI act sends a clear signal:
brussels has become toxic for innovation
it makes me so fucking angry how bad they are fumbling the bag
next generations will pay the price for this
you… pic.twitter.com/suiKLCiciS
— Ole Lehmann (@itsolelehmann) July 18, 2025
Meta Stands Firm Against EU Requirements
Meta continues to resist signing the code. Joel Kaplan, the company’s chief legal officer, criticized the framework for creating “a number of legal uncertainties for model developers, as well as measures which go far beyond the scope of the AI Act.” His assessment painted a bleak picture for innovation in Europe, suggesting the rules would hamstring progress and prevent companies from building on emerging AI models. “This over-reach will throttle the development and deployment of frontier AI models in Europe, and stunt European companies looking to build businesses on top of them,” Joel argued.
The pushback extends well beyond Silicon Valley’s tech titans. Leading executives from European powerhouses including Airbus and BNP Paribas penned an open letter to the European Commission requesting a two-year moratorium on AI legislation. They expressed concerns that the current regulatory framework is confusing, redundant, and threatens to undermine Europe’s global competitiveness in artificial intelligence. The executives highlighted how rapid implementation of uncoordinated rules could leave Europe trailing behind the United States and China.
The United States government has entered the fray with its own criticisms. Following a trade discussion Sunday between European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and President Donald Trump, the White House issued a joint statement declaring both governments “intend to address unjustified digital trade barriers.” This diplomatic language clearly targeted Brussels’ AI and data regulations.
Brussels remains unmoved by the pressure. A Commission spokesperson pushed back Tuesday against U.S. criticism, stating, “We are not moving on our right to regulate autonomously in the digital space.” The EU maintains that the AI Act provides essential protections for consumers and creators while establishing global benchmarks for responsible AI development. With the law set to become active early next month, the window for additional negotiations continues to narrow.
The AI code of practice operates as a voluntary framework rather than a binding requirement, offering guidance on appropriate corporate behavior before formal enforcement begins. Participating companies commit to following its principles voluntarily, positioning themselves in alignment with the incoming legal requirements.
Crypto Market Outlook
The regulatory divide between major tech companies and the EU over AI governance could signal increased scrutiny for crypto-related AI applications and blockchain innovations. This fragmentation in the tech sector may create short-term uncertainty for crypto projects leveraging AI technologies, particularly those operating across multiple jurisdictions.
Leave a comment