European Parliament disables AI features on work devices
What's the story
The European Parliament has disabled built-in artificial intelligence (AI) features on work devices, citing cybersecurity and data protection concerns. The decision was communicated through an internal email sent on Monday, as reported by Politico. The e-MEP tech support desk had flagged a specific issue where some AI tools were sending data to cloud servers for tasks that could be performed locally.
Disabled tools
Email stated 'full extent of data shared still being assessed'
The email stated, "As these features continue to evolve and become available on more devices, the full extent of data shared with service providers is still being assessed." It added that until this is fully clarified, it is safer to keep such features disabled. The disabled tools include writing assistants, summarizing tools, enhanced virtual assistants, and webpage summary features on tablets and phones.
Personal devices
Lawmakers advised to exercise caution with AI on personal devices
The email also advised lawmakers to exercise similar caution with AI on their personal devices. It specifically warned against feeding work emails or internal documents to AI features that scan content and cautioned against giving third-party AI apps broad access to data. This decision comes after the European Parliament had previously banned TikTok on staff devices in 2023.
Public usage
Generative AI usage in EU
Interestingly, while the European Parliament is restricting AI on its devices, European citizens are increasingly using these tools. According to Eurostat data from December 2025, 32.7% of EU residents aged 16-74 used generative AI tools in that year. Denmark had the highest usage rate at 48.4%. However, the Parliament did not disclose which specific AI features were disabled or what operating systems the devices run on.