Google’s Bard chatbot blocked in European Union due to privacy concerns

Google has been forced to delay the launch of its Bard chatbot in the European Union due to privacy concerns raised by the bloc’s top data watchdog. The Irish Data Protection Commission stated that the company had not explained how it intends to comply with the EU’s data protection regulations. Google had planned to launch Bard in the EU this week but has postponed its release. The chatbot, which uses Conversational AI technology and has been made available in over 180 countries, was launched in March. The company said it is engaging with experts, regulators and policymakers to address their concerns and receive feedback. The delay highlights the race between companies rolling out generative AI products and lawmakers deciding how to regulate such technology. Other firms including OpenAI have also recently come into conflict with EU regulators.