The prohibition of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in Italy has prompted other European countries to explore imposing harsher limits on popular chatbots and investigating the possibilities of cooperating on such steps.
Authorities now have the tools they need to control generative AI startups like OpenAI, which utilize algorithms to produce human-like replies to text questions by analyzing large quantities of data, some of which may belong to internet users, due to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Garante, Italy’s privacy watchdog, has accused OpenAI of failing to validate the ages of ChatGPT users and collecting and retaining personal data without legal basis, only for the goal of “training” the chatbot.
The privacy regulators of France, Germany, and Ireland have approached Italian watchdogs to obtain insight into the logic for the prohibition. While privacy commissioners push for increased legislation, governments are more lax. The proposal has been criticized by Italy’s deputy prime minister, while a German government official has claimed that a ban on ChatGPT is unnecessary.
According to OpenAI, it is actively working to reduce the quantity of personal data used in training its AI systems. OpenAI did not respond to regulatory authorities’ concerns. Meanwhile, OpenAI pulled ChatGPT offline in Italy on Friday, but it has not stated whether other European regulators are also looking into potential infractions in their individual nations. There are no OpenAI offices in the European Union.
The Italian investigation into OpenAI’s operations began last month, following a nine-hour hack. Individuals were provided extracts from other users’ ChatGPT discussions as well as their financial data during this period. Concerns have been raised regarding the perils of artificial intelligence (AI), including the influence on employment, the spread of erroneous information, and bias. Earlier this week, major leaders in the technology sector, including Elon Musk, called for a pause to the development of these sorts of AI systems, saying that the race to build them had gotten out of hand.
Consumer advocacy group BEUC has called on EU and national authorities, including data-protection watchdogs, to investigate ChatGPT and similar chatbots following the filing of a complaint in the US. The Italian data-protection authority said OpenAI had 20 days to say how it would address the watchdog’s concerns, under penalty of a fine of €20 million ($21.7m) or up to 4% of annual revenues.
The sources for this piece include articles in Reuters, BBC, and TechCrunch.
