OpenAI, a U.S-based technology company, is in a pickle in Italy. Italy’s data protection authority has issued a suspension order on OpenAI’s AI chatbot service, ChatGPT, last month after suspecting violations of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). As a preventive measure, OpenAI has geoblocked ChatGPT and shut down the service in Italy.
This week, Italy’s Garante for the Protection of Personal Data has laid out what OpenAI must do to lift the suspension order. At its core, the demand requires OpenAI to be transparent regarding the data processing and obtain consent from its users. They must also confirm that users are over thirteen years old and, for minors, that parents have given consent for them to use the service. Additionally, OpenAI must provide tools that allow users and non-users to correct or delete their personal data, as well as the ability for users to object to data processing.
That’s not all, OpenAI also has a deadline in place. They must submit an information notice and age verification measures by April 30, while they must finish an Italian radio, TV, and internet awareness campaign by May 15. For the age verification system, they must submit a plan by May 31 and implement the new system by September 30.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reacted to the verdict by tweeting that OpenAI is following all privacy laws. While that is the case, this situation has brought up some important considerations about personal data collection. When training large AI language models, companies must be aware of the ethical implications and legal requirements that come with personal data collection.
OpenAI is a company that develops and promotes artificial intelligence-related technologies. Founded in December 2015, the company is best known for its research on Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) language models. The company is headed by Sam Altman and is funded by a variety of major public investors, including Microsoft. OpenAI has been recognized for its significant contributions to AI research and the development of practical applications.
