Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) will not introduce its new Siri artificial intelligence features in the European Union after failing to satisfy interoperability requirements under the bloc’s regulatory framework, according to comments made Tuesday by a European Commission spokesperson.
Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Thomas Regnier said the decision to keep the product out of the EU market was made by Apple itself. He explained that the company had been unable to develop interoperability measures that met the privacy and security standards required under European regulations.
Regnier said Apple had sought an exemption from the interoperability obligations but that the request was rejected by regulators. He added that attempting to secure an exemption rather than developing a compliant solution was not considered an acceptable approach.
According to the spokesperson, the European Commission has been engaged in discussions with Apple regarding the Siri AI offering and its regulatory requirements.
Regnier also emphasized that existing EU rules do not prevent Apple from launching new products within the European market. Instead, he indicated that companies must ensure their products comply with the applicable regulatory standards before they can be introduced to consumers.
The comments highlight the ongoing tension between major technology companies and European regulators as firms seek to deploy new artificial intelligence tools while complying with the EU’s increasingly stringent requirements around competition, interoperability, privacy and security.