OpenAI, the company behind the AI-powered chatbot ChatGPT, has reversed its threats to leave Europe, with CEO Sam Altman announcing that there are no plans to do so. The statement comes after Altman had earlier announced that the company might leave Europe if the upcoming rules on artificial intelligence made it difficult to operate there.
Altman had been engaging with different political figures in different locations across Europe to discuss the AI Act and ChatGPT’s progress. During his visits, he pointed to the potential over-regulation of artificial intelligence that could be in place if the Act does not change.
The EU is currently designing possible rules to monitor and govern AI and ChatGPT is one such AI model that could be affected by it. Certain provisions would require the company to disclose copyrighted material used to train its systems, which resulted in OpenAI receiving criticism for not doing so.
Though Altman’s threats of leaving the region had drawn criticism, he clarified his position on Friday in a tweet. “We are excited to continue to operate here and of course have no plans to leave,” Altman announced.
OpenAI has now launched a $1 million funding scheme to support experiments on democratically deciding the behavior of AI systems. Additionally, the company has imposed stricter privacy regulations for ChatGPT’s usage in Italy, following a shut-down mandated by the Italian data regulator Garante.
The CEO’s trip has led to productive conversations between key decision makers in Europe, and the European Parliament is becoming an ally for AI, as opposed to an enemy. Furthermore, it is being emphasized that companies need to be transparent and reliable to be trusted in the industry.
OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman is a prominent figure in the tech industry. He is the co-founder and former President of Y Combinator and was also a key advisor to technology start-ups and venture capital firms worldwide. Under his leadership, the company has made incredible strides to simplify AI development and deployment for users from all backgrounds.
