European Parliament Disables AI Features on Official Devices

The European Parliament has disabled built-in artificial intelligence features on smartphones, tablets, and laptops issued to lawmakers and staff. The institution's IT services targeted cloud-based functions, including writing assistants, virtual assistants, and tools for text and email summarization, because these features transmit data to external servers.

Officials determined they could not guarantee the destination of data processed via these tools, raising concerns that information sent to remote datacenters—often operated by non-EU companies—could be accessed by foreign government authorities or used to train AI models. This restriction aims to protect the security of internal deliberations and confidential legislation. The move aligns with the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act and a broader push for digital sovereignty, following a 2023 ban on TikTok.

The restrictions remain in place while the IT department conducts an assessment to determine if these functions can be processed locally on the device rather than in the cloud. While the ban applies specifically to native AI features and not standard applications, IT services advised members to similarly restrict AI access on personal devices used for work. The Parliament declined to name the affected device manufacturers or operating systems, citing cybersecurity sensitivity.