The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has set up a task force for ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) program that makes fast responses to a variety of questions to wide public attention. This move follows Italy’s unilateral move to restrict the program last month, while Germany’s data protection commissioner suggested a similar restriction across Europe’s largest economy. Spain’s AEPD watchdog also launched a preliminary investigation into potential data breaches through ChatGPT.
ChatGPT has become the fastest-growing consumer application of all time with over 100 million users every month, although it has raised questions concerning its potential threats on privacy, safety, and jobs. This has led to experts, the U.S. government, and several other European governments expressing their worry about the rapid adoption of ChatGPT and similar AI products.
The task force was created to develop common policies for setting privacy rules for AI and to facilitate coordination and exchange of information between data protection authorities around Europe. News from today’s meeting includes individuals from EDPB members presenting opinions and exchanging ideas, rather than making any decisions.
The EDPB is an independent body which oversees the data protection regulations within the European Union and includes representatives from national data protection watchdogs. The request for them to discuss ChatGPT previously came from Spain.
OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is a non-profit artificial intelligence research laboratory based in San Francisco, and it has received financial backing from Microsoft. The company is devoted to advancing artificial intelligence and is mainly focused on machine learning and deep learning research.
Its founder, Sam Altman, is an American computer scientist and entrepreneur who co-founded Y Combinator, a startup accelerator which is one of the most successful business operators and fundraisers in the world. Altman is also an advocate and investor in cryptocurrencies and is a strong believer in the potential of technology to solve many problems.
