European Parliament Bans AI Tools on Lawmakers' Devices Over Data Security Concerns

The European Parliament has taken a decisive step to safeguard sensitive legislative data by disabling all artificial intelligence features on government-issued tablets and devices used by Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). The decision, implemented abruptly in early March 2026, follows internal security assessments that revealed AI tools—such as predictive text, voice assistants, and document summarizers—were transmitting user inputs to servers operated by U.S.-based technology firms, including Microsoft and Google. According to MSNBC, the move was prompted by fears that confidential policy drafts, internal communications, and personal notes could be ingested into commercial AI training datasets, potentially exposing EU decision-making processes to foreign surveillance or exploitation.

As reported by Euractiv, the ban applies to all native AI functionalities embedded in devices supplied by the Parliament’s IT department, including Windows tablets with Copilot and Android devices with Google’s Gemini integration. While MEPs can still use AI tools manually via secure, air-gapped terminals under strict supervision, everyday use of cloud-based AI assistants is now prohibited. The decision was approved by the Parliament’s Security and Data Protection Committee after a series of briefings from the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), which warned that even anonymized data inputs could be reverse-engineered to reconstruct sensitive information.

The controversy underscores a broader transatlantic tension over digital sovereignty. While U.S. tech companies argue their AI services are secure and comply with global privacy standards, EU institutions have increasingly prioritized regulatory autonomy under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the upcoming Artificial Intelligence Act. "The EU cannot afford to outsource its legislative privacy to Silicon Valley," said one anonymous security official familiar with the deliberations. "We are not against innovation—we are against uncontrolled data leakage."

Parliament staff have been instructed to use only locally processed, offline alternatives for drafting and editing documents. Some MEPs have expressed frustration over reduced productivity, particularly those accustomed to AI-powered grammar checks and meeting summaries. However, senior officials emphasize that the risk of a single data breach outweighs convenience. "A leaked draft of the Digital Services Act amendment could destabilize entire markets," noted a spokesperson for the Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee.

The move has drawn attention from global observers. The U.S. State Department has declined to comment officially, but sources within the National Security Council acknowledge the EU’s concerns as legitimate. Meanwhile, tech watchdogs like Access Now and the Electronic Frontier Foundation have praised the Parliament’s stance as a "critical precedent" for public sector AI governance. "This is not Luddism—it’s institutional self-defense," said Claire L’Heureux, director of digital rights at Access Now.

Looking ahead, the European Parliament is exploring the development of a sovereign AI assistant, trained exclusively on anonymized, EU-hosted data and governed by strict ethical guidelines. Pilot programs are reportedly underway in collaboration with the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and European AI startups. Until then, MEPs must work in a digital environment deliberately stripped of convenience to preserve integrity.

The ban is expected to serve as a model for other EU institutions, including the Council of the European Union and the European Commission, which are currently reviewing their own AI usage policies. As the bloc seeks to assert leadership in responsible technology, the Parliament’s action signals a clear message: when it comes to democracy, data privacy is non-negotiable.