The Italian Data Protection Authority stopped OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot on Friday. They also launched an inquiry into a suspected infringement of its data collection regulations.
The agency is also known as Garante. It said that Microsoft Corp.-backed ChatGPT improperly verified the ages of its subscribers, allowing minors to use the service.
Garante said that the “mass collection and storage of personal information” used to “train” ChatGPT was conducted without a “legal basis that justifies” such conduct. OpenAI must respond with a plan to rectify the issue within 20 days of receiving the notice. They risk a fine of up to 4% of its annual worldwide revenue.
A spokeswoman for the government said that the firm was informed of the decision on Friday morning. They said it would have been impracticable to shut off access in Italy on the same day. Nevertheless, they would do so by Saturday.
The official said, “The authorities may impose consequences if the limitation is disregarded.”
Italy was the first Western nation to take action against an AI-powered Chatbot. It is temporarily restricting ChatGPT’s access to the personal data of domestic users.
The chatbot is also unavailable in Hong Kong, mainland China, Iran, Russia, and numerous regions of Africa. Residents are residents are unable to register for OpenAI accounts.
Since its introduction a year ago, ChatGPT has caused a technical frenzy. It has prompted rivals to develop competing solutions and companies to adapt its technology or a similar one for use in their own offers.
A lot of countries’ legislators are monitoring the fast development of technology. Due to the potential impact of artificial intelligence on national security, jobs, and education, many experts feel more law is required to regulate the technology.
Margrethe Vestager, executive vice president of the European Commission, noted that the commission is studying the EU AI Act and may not be inclined to outlaw artificial intelligence.
We should not limit AI technology, but rather the methods in which it is utilized, she added, since “no matter what technology we use, we must continue to promote our freedoms and preserve our rights.” Let’s not ruin in a few short years what has taken decades to accomplish.
Elon Musk and other AI academics and business executives wrote an open letter on Wednesday warning of the hazards presented by the development of AI systems more powerful than OpenAI’s newly released GPT-4.
Swedish artificial intelligence researcher and associate professor Johanna Bjorklund said, “Lack of transparency is the core problem.” Researchers in artificial intelligence (AI) should be transparent about their methodologies.
