ITALY BANS CHATGPT
In a move that has raised eyebrows across the world, Italy has announced that it has officially banned ChatGPT.
When asked why the Italian government made the controversial decision to ban the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, “privacy concerns” were to blame.
But, according to The Telegraph, it’s hard not to see a deeper thread of concern about the threat the technology poses to jobs and traditional businesses.
The Italian Data Protection Watchdog ordered the American startup behind the chatbot, OpenAI, to temporarily cease processing the data of Italian users. A probe was then launched into a suspected breach of Europe’s strict privacy regulations.
The watchdog raised its concerns against the lack of age restriction offered by ChatGPT as it was open to users of all ages. It also raised flags regarding the factual correctness of the information supplied by the chatbot.
CNBC reports that OpenAI, which is backed by Microsoft, risks facing a fine of 20 million euros (just over R400 million), or 4% of its global annual revenue, if it doesn’t come up with remedies to the situation in 20 days.
The UK government has since asked regulators to apply current regulations to AI chatbots without specifically identifying ChatGPT by name.
The UK’s Digital Minister Michelle Donelan has made it clear in Parliament that Britain isn’t against using chatbots, but wants to ensure companies and individuals use the chatbot responsibly.
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