Europe 1 with AFP 15:31 pm, April 29, 2023
The ChatGPT artificial intelligence, blocked a month ago in Italy due to a personal data legislation, is again accessible in the country. OpenAI, the company that owns ChatGPT, says it has set up a tool "to check in Italy the age of users" once they plug in.The artificial intelligence program ChatGPT, blocked a month ago in Italy for violating the legislation on personal data, is again allowed in the peninsula, said Friday OpenAI, the company that owns ChatGPT. "ChatGPT is once again available to our users in Italy. We are delighted to welcome them back and remain committed to protecting their personal data," an OpenAI spokesperson said.
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The Italian Data Protection Authority had blocked ChatGPT at the end of March, which it accused of not complying with European regulations and not having a system to verify the age of underage users. The Autorité also criticized ChatGPT for "the absence of an information note to users whose data is collected by OpenAI (...) with the aim of 'training' the algorithms that make the platform work."
OpenAI now communicates on its data collection
In addition, while the programme is aimed at persons over the age of 13, "the Authority emphasizes that the absence of any filter to verify the age of users exposes minors to responses that are absolutely inconsistent with their level of development". OpenAI now publishes information on its website about how it "collects" and "uses training-related data" and offers "greater visibility" on ChatGPT and OpenAI's homepage of the personal data policy.
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The company also claims to have set up a tool "to verify in Italy the age of users" once they connect. The Italian Authority acknowledged on Friday "the steps taken to combine technological progress with respect for the rights of individuals". ChatGPT appeared in November and was quickly taken over by users impressed by its ability to clearly answer difficult questions, write sonnets or computer code.
Funded in particular by the computer giant Microsoft, which has added it to several of its services, it is sometimes presented as a potential competitor to the Google search engine. On April 13, Spain announced the opening of an investigation into ChatGPT, the day the European Union launched a working group to foster European cooperation on the subject.