The war against artificial intelligence is declared. Growing concerns about the privacy and security of personal data have led the Italian Data Protection Authority to issue a ban order on the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT, created by OpenAI. Although the benefits of this tool have been highlighted, some experts are more skeptical and question the use of artificial intelligence in general.
Italy has declared war on Artificial Intelligence, by banning the AI chatbot tool ChatGPT, created by OpenAI, for allegedly “illegal collection of personal data.” This move has caused quite a stir in the AI community, leading many to wonder if other countries could follow suit and ban the use of AI in various areas. Italy’s decision adds to growing concerns about the privacy and security of personal data in the digital age, and could have important implications for the future of AI around the world.
Illegal processing of personal data
The GPDP accused the company of illegally collecting the personal data of Italian users and ordered the company to immediately stop the collection until it changed its practices.
In its press release , the GPDP stated that the company had no legal justification for collecting personal information from Italian users. In addition, it stated that OpenAI did not have a mechanism to prevent underage users from accessing the service, which could expose them to inappropriate responses for their age and level of development.
Currently, despite the ban, it is still possible to access ChatGPT from Italy using a VPN traffic redirection through Milan. It is expected that OpenAI will not be immediate in its punishment and will take time to comply with the order to stop collecting data from Italian users.
The company has a period of 20 days to inform the regulator of the measures it has taken to comply with user privacy requirements. If you do not comply with the GPDP order, you face fines of up to 20 million euros or 4% of your annual global turnover.
previous cases
This is not the first time that the Italian privacy regulator has taken similar action against an AI chatbot. In February, the GPDP banned the chatbot app Replika.ai , which has become notorious for the personal relationships some users develop with its chatbot. Many users expressed their angst after the company recently removed the erotic role-playing option.
The regulator claimed that the company lacked a legal justification for collecting personal information from users and that it did not have mechanisms to prevent minors from accessing the application. Replika.ai’s ban is yet another sign of growing concern in Italy and around the world about the privacy and security of personal data in the digital age.