European Parliament Disables AI on Devices
The European Parliament has disabled built-in AI tools on lawmakers’ work devices, citing significant concerns over data security, privacy, and the opacity of cloud-based AI processing. The move blocks access to these features on corporate devices, signaling a cautious institutional stance that may foreshadow stricter AI regulations for businesses. This decision reflects a growing skepticism toward AI tools in sensitive government environments.
- The specific tools disabled include built-in writing assistants, text and webpage summarization features, and enhanced virtual assistants on tablets and phones. Standard applications like email, calendars, and document editors are not affected. - The core issue identified by the Parliament's IT department was that some AI features were using cloud services for tasks that could have been handled by the device locally, which sends data off the device. This action is temporary pending a full assessment of how much data is shared with service providers. - An internal email to Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) advised them to apply similar precautions to their personal devices, warning against granting AI tools that scan or analyze content access to work emails and documents. - This decision is part of a broader pattern of digital sovereignty efforts by the European Parliament, which banned TikTok on staff devices in 2023 and saw a push from some lawmakers in November 2025 to replace Microsoft software with European alternatives. - The move comes as the EU's comprehensive AI Act, the world's first major law on artificial intelligence, begins its phased implementation. The Act, which passed in March 2024, categorizes AI systems by risk and imposes varying levels of obligations on them. - While the Parliament has not named the specific device manufacturers or operating systems affected, the decision targets major US technology providers that embed AI assistants directly into their software. This reflects ongoing concerns about the US Cloud Act, which can allow American authorities to access data held by US companies.
