The European Union’s chief data watchdog, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB), has announced the formation of a task force to help countries navigate the controversial artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot ChatGPT from US company OpenAI. On April 13th 2023, the EDPB’s launch follows the temporary ban Italy imposed on the programme last month over concerns it was breaching privacy laws. In addition, the French data protection authority has initiated an official investigation into OpenAI.
OpenAI is an AI research laboratory based in San Francisco, which was founded in 2018. It focuses on the development of machine learning models to make AI an accessible reality, paying particular attention to natural language processing. The company has received backing from leading tech companies such as Microsoft, Amazon and Google.
ChatGPT is OpenAI’s first large-scale AI, machine learning-based chatbot. The technology enables the computer to answer any question posed to it, depending on parameters given such as the user’s interests, preferences and subject area. It is being used in over a dozen countries, and is utilized among numerous industries, from customer service to marketing.
The new task force formed by the EDPB will provide guidance to countries on how to use the technology within the confines of their data protection regulations. The source made it clear that their objective is to strike a balance between allowing the technology to be used, while also confirming that it is compliant with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
OpenAI founder and CEO, Greg Brockman, has said the task force is an opportunity to demonstrate the commitment of the company to the principles of user privacy and data protection in the development and application of its AI-driven products. He urged countries to use the new task force as a chance to gain a better understanding of the technology and to ensure that it meets the legal requirements in their nations.
Given the impressive reach of OpenAI and its ChatGPT, it is highly likely the EDPB will closely monitor the company’s compliance with GDPR regulations. It is a reminder for companies that usage of data should be for the benefit of users, and its protection must be prioritized. This task force can serve as an example for other nations to educate themselves about the use of data and AI technology, helping them to set up their own regulations to protect their users.
