Artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT was temporarily banned in Italy on Friday, the first known instance of a chatbot being blocked by government order.
Italian Data Protection Authority explain OpenAI, the California company that makes ChatGPT, illegally collects users’ personal data and doesn’t have an age verification system in place to prevent minors from being exposed to illegal material.
Italy was the first government to ban ChatGPT due to privacy concerns.In China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran, the service is unavailable Because OpenAI decided not to make it accessible.
Italy’s decision shows the policy challenges facing developers of cutting-edge artificial intelligence following the release of ChatGPT. The program dazzles users with its ability to draft papers, hold human-friendly conversations and perform more complex tasks like writing computer code, but it also raises questions about the spread of misinformation, the impact on jobs and the broader risks to society warning.
This week, more than 1,000 technology leaders and researchers called for a moratorium on the development of the most advanced artificial intelligence systems to allow for safety policy. The Center for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Policy is an advocacy group that promotes the ethical use of technology, ask The US Federal Trade Commission blocked OpenAI from releasing a new commercial version of ChatGPT.
In Italy, regulators asked OpenAI to block Internet users in the country from accessing ChatGPT until the company handed over more information. The company has 20 days to provide the agency with materials and possible remedies before making a final decision on the product’s future in the country.
The regulator cited a March 20 data breach that exposed some user conversations and payment details. OpenAI could be fined up to 20 million euros ($22 million) or 4 percent of its global annual revenue, the agency said.
In a statement, OpenAI said it had disabled ChatGPT for Italian users and pledged to protect people’s privacy.
“We actively work to reduce personal data when training AI systems such as ChatGPT because we want our AI to understand the world, not individuals,” the company said. “We also believe AI regulation is necessary.”
As of 5 p.m. Friday in Italy, the chatbot had not received word that it would be blocked in the country. When a user there asked if it would be banned in Italy because of privacy concerns, ChatGPT replied: “There should be no problem.”
“I am an AI language model accessible from anywhere in the world as long as there is an internet connection,” the chatbot said.
Emma Buborah Contribution report.
