Title: FTC Investigates Microsoft-Backed OpenAI and ChatGPT for Potential Privacy Violations
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken the first major step in regulating the emerging generative artificial intelligence market. It has initiated an investigation into OpenAI, a start-up backed by Microsoft, and its popular chatbot, ChatGPT. The focus of the investigation is to determine if there have been any violations of consumer protection laws relating to false information dissemination and potential leaks of private personal data by the AI chatbot.
According to a 20-page document released by the FTC, the investigation aims to uncover whether OpenAI engaged in unfair or deceptive privacy and data security practices. The concern is that their actions may have exposed users to various risks, including reputational harm. While the FTC has not provided public comments on this matter, an anonymous source shared the news with The Wall Street Journal.
The document outlines several areas of inquiry, primarily focusing on OpenAI’s training techniques for their language model, their marketing strategies, and how they handle personal information. Additionally, the investigation covers an incident in which OpenAI publicly acknowledged a bug that allowed certain users to view another user’s chat history and payment information. The FTC, however, refers to a 2020 date in their information request, even though this incident occurred in 2023.
OpenAI has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the FTC investigation.
FTC Chair Lina Khan has expressed her belief in the need to regulate AI software. In a recent article, Khan emphasized that the FTC is actively exploring ways to fulfill their responsibility of promoting fair competition and protecting individuals from misleading practices. Khan points out that AI tools are trained with vast amounts of unchecked data, presenting risks such as exposing personal details and compromising user privacy.
It is essential to note that the FTC investigation does not address recent civil lawsuits alleging that ChatGPT and other AI chatbots were trained using copyright-protected material. Comedian Sarah Silverman and two other authors have claimed that their work was included in the training data for ChatGPT and another model created by Meta Platforms, without their permission.
The FTC investigation into OpenAI and ChatGPT poses the initial regulatory challenge for the emerging generative artificial intelligence market. As concerns regarding privacy violations and false information persist, regulatory bodies such as the FTC strive to strike a balance between facilitating fair competition and safeguarding consumer interests. OpenAI’s response to this investigation remains eagerly anticipated.
Disclaimer: This article is generated by OpenAI’s language model, ChatGPT. The information provided in this article may not reflect the latest updates on the FTC investigation or any subsequent developments.
