Meta has decided not to sign the EU’s voluntary “Code of Practice for general‑purpose AI,” positioned as part of the bloc’s comprehensive AI regulatory framework. Meta’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, Joel Kaplan, criticized the Code as introducing legal uncertainty and going significantly beyond the scope of the existing AI Act, warning it could “throttle” innovation and hinder European AI companies. This refusal puts Meta apart from other tech leaders like OpenAI and Microsoft, which are expected to sign or already have signed. While non-signatories remain subject to the legal obligations of the AI Act itself, the choice reflects growing tension between U.S. tech firms and European regulatory ambitions.