Title: FTC Launches Investigation Into OpenAI’s ChatGPT as Utahns Discuss AI Concerns
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has initiated an investigation into OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, over concerns regarding data handling and the potential dissemination of false information through the popular AI platform. The investigation, which was revealed through a leaked document obtained by The Washington Post, raises questions about data privacy and the accuracy of content generated by AI systems.
ChatGPT, an inquiry-based platform that can generate human-like responses, has gained significant popularity since its launch in November 2020, attracting over 100 million users. However, the platform is known for its errors and inaccuracies.
The emergence of AI tools has sparked broad concerns about personal privacy, job displacement, and even the possibility of existential threats comparable to global disasters. In a recent Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll, Utah residents shared their worries about potential job losses and expressed overall concerns regarding new AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT, Google’s Bard, and DALL-E.
Following news of the investigation becoming public, OpenAI’s co-founder and CEO, Sam Altman, expressed disappointment over the leaked document but pledged the company’s cooperation with the FTC investigators. Altman has become a prominent figure in the field of generative AI tools due to the immense response to ChatGPT. In May, he testified before a U.S. Senate committee hearing, highlighting the need for regulatory frameworks to mitigate the potential harm caused by advancing AI technologies.
The FTC’s civil subpoena spans 20 pages and covers a broad range of information, including the training process of OpenAI’s AI engine, data sources, and the handling of copyrighted and private personal information. The commission is particularly interested in how the company addresses false and misleading statements about individuals.
During the Senate hearing in May, lawmakers acknowledged their past failure to protect the public from the harms associated with social media platforms and vowed not to repeat the same mistakes with AI regulation. Senator Richard Blumenthal, Chair of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law, expressed concerns about AI-driven tools potentially replacing human workers, a sentiment shared by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.
However, the recent Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll indicates that Utah residents are not currently overly concerned about AI leading to job losses. Only 28% of respondents from the survey expressed such concerns, with a mere 9% stating they were very concerned. A majority of participants (69%) stated they were not worried about being replaced by AI-driven tools, with 52% reporting no concerns at all.
Although job loss fears may not be prevalent among Utahns, a separate survey conducted in June found that 69% of respondents expressed some level of concern regarding increased use of artificial intelligence programming. This broader worry about AI advancements extends beyond immediate job loss fears.
When it comes to AI regulation, Utah residents have mixed opinions. While 43% of poll participants believe regulation should be increased, 19% advocate for a decrease, and 26% suggest maintaining the current level of regulation. As for which level of government should oversee AI advancements, 53% of respondents favored federal regulation, while 22% believed state governments should take the lead, and 17% preferred no government involvement in regulating AI tech companies.
As the FTC investigation unfolds, it highlights the growing importance of addressing data privacy issues and ensuring that AI technology benefits consumers while adhering to legal and ethical standards. OpenAI’s cooperation with the investigation demonstrates a commitment to consumer safety and a willingness to work alongside regulators to minimize potential AI-related risks.
