Italy restores access to ChatGPT after OpenAI complies with privacy requirements
OpenAI announced on Friday that its popular chatbot, ChatGPT, is once again available to users in Italy after the company met the requirements set by the country's data protection authority. The regulator had temporarily blocked the artificial intelligence tool over concerns about privacy violations. OpenAI said it completed the necessary measures set by the April 30 deadline, which include adding information on its website about how data is collected and used, providing a form for EU users to object having their data used for training, and adding an age-verification tool to sign-ups.
Garante, the Italian watchdog, welcomed the implemented measures but urged OpenAI to comply with two additional demands for an age-verification system and an opt-out publicity campaign for Italians. The ban came last month after Garante found that some users' messages and payment information were exposed to others. It also questioned whether there was a legal basis for OpenAI to collect massive amounts of data used to train ChatGPT's algorithms and raised concerns about the system sometimes generating false information about individuals.
ChatGPT uses machine learning to simulate human conversations, creating text from digital books, blog posts, and other media. While generative AI systems have created buzz in the tech world, some have raised concerns about possible ethical and societal risks. The European Union is currently updating draft artificial intelligence regulations that have been in the works for years.
Other regulators are now looking at similar AI systems, with France's data privacy regulator and Canada's privacy commissioner investigating after receiving complaints about ChatGPT. Meanwhile, Lina Khan, the head of the US Federal Trade Commission, warned this week that the government will "not hesitate to crack down" on harmful business practices involving artificial intelligence.
