AI’s Data Appetite Is Huge. That’s a Problem for Privacy Laws

Generative AI’s voracious consumption of data is starting to run up against strict rules protecting individuals’ rights to data privacy in Europe and around the world.

Meta was met with swift scrutiny after it revised Facebook’s European privacy policy in May. By June, privacy advocates launched complaints in 11 countries against the company’s plans, and the Data Protection Commissioner in Ireland—home of Meta’s EU headquarters—opened an “engagement” with the company. The response prompted the social media giant to mothball its plans.

And earlier this month, authorities in Brazil blocked Meta from collecting data for AI training under a privacy law ...