Italy blocks ChatGPT chatbot
ChatGPT © pixabay.com
Italy's national privacy regulator has ordered a de facto ban on the artificial intelligence-powered chatbot ChatGPT due to "illegal collection of personal data". The Verge reports that OpenAI has been instructed to immediately stop collecting information from Italian users until their data collection methods are changed.
The Data Protection Authority (GPDP) stated that the company has no legal basis for collecting personal information from users. In addition, the GPDP noted that OpenAI does not have a mechanism to prohibit minors from accessing the service, which "exposes them to responses that are absolutely unsuitable compared to their level of development and self-awareness."
The company has 20 days to report on the measures it has taken to comply with regulatory requirements. Failure to do so could result in a fine of up to €20 million (4% of annual global turnover).
This is not the first time that the Italian data supervision service has taken such action against an AI chatbot. Previously, the regulator had blocked the Replika.ai application.
ChatGPT, capable of simulating and processing human conversations, has lost data on user conversations and information related to paying subscribers for a paid service.
In addition, the Italian authorities noted that the service, intended for people over 13 years old, does not have any tools to verify the age of users.
