He said: “The EU seems to, at the moment, be sort of moving towards the most perverse decision. If you want European AI, you inescapably have to train those models with EU data.
“It’s the same in the UK. If you want models, if you want AI avatars, chatbots who understand our language, our history, our landmarks, our very different English idioms compared to American, you have to train it on UK data.”
He added that the UK could take a “more nimble” approach.
Currently, stopping your data being used by Meta for AI purposes involves a complex opt-out process including filling in a written form explaining your objections.
Meta has not yet started the process of harvesting UK information, but on Friday the Telegraph revealed its plans would be given the go ahead – a move subsequently confirmed by Meta.
In a blog post, Meta said it would “begin training for AI at Meta using public content shared by adults on Facebook and Instagram in the UK over the coming months”. This would allow its AI chatbots to “reflect British culture, history and idiom”.
The blog added: “We’ve engaged positively with the Information Commissioner’s Office and welcome the constructive approach that the ICO has taken throughout these discussions.”
Meta has said it would not use private messages in its training data.
Three months ago, Meta paused its planned UK launch. Stephen Almond, an executive director at the Information Commissioner’s Office, said at the time that the technology giant would “review plans to use Facebook and Instagram user data to train generative AI”.
Privacy advocacy group the Open Rights Group has already launched a complaint to the data regulator over Meta’s efforts to use Britain’s data for its technology.
The Government is currently conducting a lightning-fast review of the use of AI technologies, led by Matt Clifford, a former adviser to Rishi Sunak and entrepreneur.
The “AI Opportunities Action Plan” comes despite Mr Sunak’s government hosting a summit last November that warned of the potential risks posed by the emerging technology.
Matthew Lesh, public policy fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs, said the EU had continued to “tie itself in knots” with “overzealous regulations that stifle innovations”.
He added: “The ICO’s decision to allow Meta to use social media data for AI training is a clear win for pro-growth, pro-innovation regulation.”
The ICO said it was “for Meta to ensure and demonstrate ongoing compliance”.