European Parliament Blocks AI on Lawmakers' Devices Over Data Security and Privacy Concerns

European Parliament Disables Built-In AI Features on Work Devices

The European Parliament has taken a precautionary step by disabling built-in AI features on work devices issued to lawmakers and staff, citing cybersecurity and privacy concerns that remain unresolved1

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. According to an internal memo seen by Politico, the Parliament's IT department concluded it could not guarantee the security of data uploaded to cloud servers operated by AI companies1

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. The decision affects AI-driven functions including writing assistants, text summarization tools, virtual assistants, and web page summary features that rely on cloud-based AI tools rather than on-device processing3

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Cloud-Based AI Tools Pose Data Leakage Risks

The core issue centers on how cloud-based AI tools handle sensitive information. When lawmakers use AI assistants like ChatGPT, Copilot, or similar services, data must be sent off the device to external cloud servers for processing2

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. The Parliament's tech support desk stated that "the full extent of data shared with service providers is still being assessed" and that "it is considered safer to keep such features disabled" until this is fully clarified2

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. This concern is particularly acute in a workplace where draft legislation, confidential correspondence, and internal deliberations circulate daily3

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. AI chatbots typically rely on using information that users provide or upload to improve their models, increasing the chance that potentially sensitive information uploaded by one person may be shared and seen by other users1

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Data Security Concerns Extend Beyond Official Devices

The internal memo did more than announce a software rollback. It advised Members of the European Parliament to review AI settings on their personal phones and tablets, warning them against exposing work emails, documents, or internal information to AI tools that "scan or analyze content"3

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. Workers were also asked to "consider applying similar precautions" on their own personal devices, including avoiding granting broad access to data and not sharing sensitive info with AI chatbots4

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. This guidance implicitly acknowledges that for many elected officials and staff, the boundary between official and personal devices is porous, and risks extend beyond issued hardware into the consumer technology choices of its own members3

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Data Protection Regulations and US Tech Giants Under Scrutiny

The move to restrict AI on lawmakers' devices comes as several EU member countries reevaluate their relationships with US Big Tech companies, which remain subject to U.S. law and the unpredictable demands of the Trump administration1

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. Uploading data to AI chatbots from companies like OpenAI and Microsoft means that U.S. authorities can demand these companies turn over information about their users1

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. In recent weeks, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has sent hundreds of subpoenas demanding U.S. tech and social media giants turn over information about people, including Americans, who have been publicly critical of the Trump administration's policies1

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. Some European lawmakers have even suggested moving away from Microsoft products in favor of European alternatives, part of a broader push for tech sovereignty3

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AI Integration Challenges Despite Progressive AI Act

The Parliament's decision reveals a paradox: while Europe seeks to regulate and shape AI at scale through its AI Act, the world's first comprehensive regulatory framework on AI that has been in force since 2024, it is simultaneously wary of the very tools it aims to master3

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. The ban is temporary until the tech boffins can clarify what is being shared and where it is going2

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. Day-to-day tools such as calendar applications and core workplace tools like emails and office apps are not affected by the edict2

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. The institution has declined to specify which operating systems or device manufacturers are affected, citing the "sensitive nature" of cybersecurity matters3

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Broader Implications for AI on Government Work Devices

This is not the first time the European Parliament has taken precautionary measures. In 2023, the Parliament banned the use of TikTok on staff devices over similar data concerns3

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. Studies have shown that employees regularly leak company secrets via AI assistants, and on-device AI services are a focus of vendors amid concerns about exactly what is being sent to the cloud2

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. A European Parliament spokesperson told Politico it "constantly monitors cybersecurity threats and quickly deploys the necessary measures to prevent them"4

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. The message from Brussels is unmistakable: when it comes to AI and sensitive information, trust but verify is no longer enough3

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. Whether other governments follow suit, or whether this stance influences corporate and product strategy around data processing and data privacy, remains to be seen3

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