ChatGPT Back in Italy After OpenAI Resolves Privacy Concerns

John Lopez, Tech Times 28 April 2023, 02:04 pm

The popular artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot ChatGPT is back online in Italy after a brief ban due to privacy concerns, Reuters tells us in a report.

OpenAI, the San Francisco-based company behind the technology, acknowledged that the flaws mentioned by the Italian data protection body, Garante, had been addressed.

Reason Behind ChatGPT Ban in Italy

Garante said in late March that it was concerned that OpenAI was violating the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and unlawfully processing people's data, prompting the decision to halt ChatGPT in Italy.

Garante said that ChatGPT had been processing personal data, including biographical details of people in the region, without allowing users to correct errors or verify their age.

The regulator was also worried about the lack of a mechanism to prevent minors from accessing the technology.

OpenAI Address Italian Authorities' Concerns

To address these concerns, OpenAI has pledged to provide greater transparency around its privacy policies in early April, allowing users to opt out of having their content used for training AI models.

In the latest update to the matter, Reuters tells us that OpenAI has also created a new form for European Union users to object to using their data and will offer a tool to verify users' ages upon sign-up in Italy.

With these measures in place, ChatGPT is now available again in Italy, providing users access to its advanced conversational capabilities.

The Challenges that Come with AI Advancement

ChatGPT is a popular AI chatbot that generates responses to user questions using natural language processing (NLP). It has been utilized to deliver a more personalized and engaging consumer experience by various companies, including news outlets, social networking platforms, and e-commerce sites.

However, as with most internet-connected tech, privacy and security concerns exist. Garante's decision to temporarily prohibit ChatGPT in Italy emphasizes the need for companies to be clear about handling user data and ensure that their technology is only available to people who fulfill age standards.

Suppose you are wondering where this is all based. The GDPR is a comprehensive set of regulations designed to protect the personal data of European Union citizens.

It requires companies to obtain explicit consent from users before collecting and processing their data and provides individuals with the right to access, correct, and delete their personal information.

Look at Other Complications

Professor Uri Gal of the University of Sydney Business School explains that OpenAI, valued at $29 billion, should be criticized for not compensating individuals, website owners, and companies for the data it scraped from the internet.

He also mentioned the recent announcement of ChatGPT Plus, a paid subscription plan, is expected to contribute to $1 billion in revenue by 2024.

Additionally, concerns have been raised about the privacy risks involved in using the tool, particularly in relation to user prompts that may inadvertently reveal sensitive information.

OpenAI's privacy policy also collects a broad scope of user information, including browsing activities, and may share personal information with unspecified third parties to meet business objectives.

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