The European Union has taken a historic first step in the regulation of generative AI technologies, by launching a task force dedicated to ChatGPT. This was announced during a meeting of the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) which discussed the enforcement action taken by the Italian data protection authority against OpenAI concerning its Chat GPT service.
The task force will promote cooperation and exchange of information between data protection authorities in order to undertake possible enforcement actions. This comes at a time when chatbots powered by AI such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT have become increasingly popular. These free tools can create text responses to prompts, like articles, be they poems, jokes or even essays. These Artificial Intelligence tools have raised alarms among governments and experts due to their potential dangers to human rights, safety and privacy.
The EU stands in stark contrast to the measures taken by the Italian authority that issued a temporary ban on OpenAI’s chatbot, citing a potential breach of EU data protection regulations. The regulator gave OpenAI a deadline until the end of the month for them to make their privacy notice available, providing a legal justification for the use of personal data used to train algorithms, and also to give it option to users to edit or delete their personal data from the chatbot.
France and Spain have also been investigating OpenAI’s AI tool, while the German commissioner has expressed that they are considering a ban. Spain’s data protection agency expressed their enthusiasm for the development of AI, however, it must be compatible with personal rights and freedoms. Five data privacy complaints related to ChatGPT sparked the French investigation. One of these was initiated by French MP, Eric Bothorel, who revealed that ChatGPT had inventing details about his life, including his date of birth and job experience.
In the same vein, China’s internet regulator has revealed draft regulations that would make companies liable for the data used to train generative AI models like ChatGPT and Midjourney. The UK government, on the other hand, has began to develop an appropriate framework to promote secure use of AI.
Amid all the action taken, prominent figures like Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak have issued a public letter acknowleging the threat of uncontrolled AI experiments and recommending a 6-month moratorium on these activities.
The European Commission is in the process of establishing the EU AI Act, to promote the responsible use of AI in all its forms.
OpenAI is a multi-billion dollar company that was founded in 2015 with the mission to create safe and general Artificial Intelligence technologies and to ensure that they benefit all. OpenAI has the backing of major tech companies and venture capitalists, including Microsoft, Amazon and Google. OpenAI has partnered with major brands like Microsoft and AWS for developing their technologies and with influential organizations, such Lawfare and the Future of Humanity Institute to consider the implications of advancing AI.
Eric Bothorel is a French politician of the Republican party and a member of the National Assembly of France. In addition to being an elected member of the National Assembly and a member of the Finance Commission, he is an advocate for tech and digital innovation. He is an ex-MEP and has held various positions in the Grand Ouest region before his election to the National Assembly in 2017.
Overall, the recent move by the EU shows their dedicated and concerted efforts to ensure that AI technology is used safely and securely while preserving the rights and freedoms of individuals.
