Spanish data protection agency AEPD announced on Thursday that it will be conducting a preliminary investigation into potential data breaches by OpenAI’s ChatGPT. This action comes as global governments and businesses alike increasingly question the ethical implications of artificial intelligence (AI) systems. To this end, the European Network of Data Protection Authorities has set up a task force to examine the potential risks stemming from ChatGPT.
OpenAI is an artificial intelligence research laboratory, co-founded by Elon Musk and research scientist Sam Altman, with a mission to ensure that AI is beneficial for humanity and our environment. It is funded by big tech companies like Microsoft and Kleiner Perkins; however, its research and technology have been criticized by many due to their ethical implications.
Although OpenAI has introduced measures such as establishing a research team dedicated to ethical and legal issues, the AEPD’s investigation may be one of the first steps that the EU officials take in this regard. Furthermore, the task force created by The European Network of Data Protection Authorities is an indication that the European Union is taking the matter seriously.
At this stage, it is unclear how the AEPD’s investigation will unfold and what the outcome might be. If the AEPD’s findings show that OpenAI’s AI technology violates EU data protection laws, it could lead to significant fines or other legal actions being taken. This development will be of interest to both experts and everyday users alike, as it could drive the development of regulations that protect users’ data and privacy in the AI space.
