The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has initiated an investigation into OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, an AI chatbot. This marks the first official probe into the potential risks posed by artificially intelligent chatbots. The FTC’s letter to OpenAI raised concerns about the creation of false information by the chatbot and OpenAI’s privacy and data security practices.
Regulators worldwide are focusing on generative AI products due to the vast amount of personal data consumed by these technologies and their potential for harmful outputs, including misinformation and offensive comments. The FTC has requested internal information from OpenAI, such as data retention practices and measures taken to address the risk of the model generating false or disparaging statements.
While the FTC and OpenAI declined to comment on the investigation, it highlights the growing scrutiny faced by AI technologies and the need for robust privacy and ethical practices.
In other news:
1. Thailand’s national assembly rejected election winner Pita Limjaroenrat’s bid for prime minister, leading to political unrest in Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy. The unelected senators, appointed by the former military junta, refused to vote for Pita due to his plans to reform strict laws against criticizing Thailand’s monarchy.
2. Germany issued its first China strategy, urging companies to reduce their dependence on Beijing. The foreign minister emphasized the need to de-risk economic relations with China and suggested that companies overly reliant on the Chinese market should bear more financial risk themselves.
3. Chinese tech stocks experienced a rally after the government signaled a shift from reining in their influence to supporting their growth and strengthening China’s global position.
4. Alex Mashinsky, founder of bankrupt cryptocurrency lender Celsius Network, has been arrested and charged with fraud and market manipulation. Prosecutors allege that Mashinsky misled investors into depositing billions of dollars into Celsius, portraying it as a safe platform to earn interest on crypto assets.
5. William Li, founder and CEO of Shanghai-based Nio, a major rival to Tesla in China, called on the US government to grant Chinese electric vehicles equal access to the American market. Li emphasized that automakers should not be caught up in political tensions between China and the US.
China, unlike developed countries, is dealing with the challenge of deflation. As the country prepares to release second-quarter GDP figures, concerns arise about the growth trajectory of China’s economy, particularly regarding the significant year-on-year decline in exports and imports recorded in June.
This news article provides a concise overview of recent events and adheres to SEO best practices. It addresses the investigation into OpenAI by the FTC, along with other notable news stories from around the world.
