The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has created a new Taskforce to address the potential privacy and security issues arising from the use of artificial intelligence. This decision comes after Italy’s successful bid to ban the popular machine learning application ChatGPT, citing concerns for a violation of data privacy laws. ChatGPT is a natural language processing program that drew attention for its ability to produce results quickly for a variety of queries.
The program has gained immense popularity, now boasting more than 100 million active users each month; however, it has spawned some controversy over the threats it may pose regarding safety and jobs, as well as the amounts of cheating going on under the guise of using it for assignments. Although no malicious behavior has been attributed to the program itself, the output it produces is limited to training data sets that date back to 2021. This could pose a potential threat if the program is used in a manipulative fashion, as it is vulnerable to large-scale manipulation.
The EDPB’s decision to form a dedicated Taskforce creates a precedent for the EU to deter such initiatives and create a unified policy on privacy laws pertaining to artificial intelligence. The panel, which consists of members from each of the EU member countries, hopes to create policies that are fair and transparent. Discussions at the meeting focused on possible actions to be taken by data protection authorities, but no firm decisions were made.
The EDPB hopes this will encourage countries across the globe to adopt similar initiatives. Nonetheless, there are a few major players in this industry such as China, USA and Russia amongst others who have developed their own versions of ChatGPT. However, these programs are based on skills that are taught at a masters level and often require more specialized training.
OpenAI is the company behind ChatGPT and is mainly backed by Microsoft Corporation. The company set off to create a program that could provide instant results for consumer applications. They achieved this goal by investing heavily in machine learning, natural language processing and ever-newer technologies that helped push their product further. OpenAI is also very invested in ethics and puts a high emphasis on responsible use and data security.
Sam Altman, the newly appointed CEO of OpenAI, is an esteemed figure in the tech industry. Before co-founding OpenAI, he founded the non-profit startup incubator Y Combinator and was a founding member of the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. Altman is also a keen advocate of creating a responsible industry and strives to protect customer data with ethical use of technology, which he speaks passionately about.
Clearly, it is important that artificial intelligence and its application in consumer products is monitored for privacy and security violations. The EDPB’s Taskforce is aimed towards creating policies that focus on transparency and fair rules for the burgeoning industry of machine learning and artificial intelligence. As the tech industry continues to grow, it is important to prioritize responsible use and safeguarding of customer data.
