European Privacy Watchdog Creates ChatGPT Task Force

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Facts

  • The European Data Protection Board (EDPB), a body that unites Europe's national privacy watchdogs, announced on Thursday that it had set up a task force to study ChatGPT, an important first step in developing privacy guidelines for chatbots.1
  • Following a unilateral move by Italy last month to curb ChatGPT, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has come out in favor of curtailing the app. Germany's commissioner for data protection said that this stance could also be followed in Europe's largest economy.2
  • ChatGPT is an AI software program that has gained attention for its ability to respond quickly and comprehensively to a wide variety of queries. With over 100M active users, it is the fastest-growing consumer application in history. However, its rapid growth has raised concerns about its potential impact on safety, privacy, and employment.3
  • On Wednesday, the Italian privacy regulator Garante gave OpenAI until April 30 to align ChatGPT with Europe's data protection rules. The company was asked to make available its privacy notice explaining how users' data is being used for the functioning of ChatGPT. Italy was the first country in Europe to bar the bot.4
  • French data protection regulator CNIL has opened a case after receiving five complaints, one of which was lodged by MP Eric Bothorel, who said the bot had invented details of his life, including his birth date and job history. Under Europe's GDPR, systems that collect personal data are obliged to provide information that is as accurate as possible.5
  • The task force will be headed by Wojciech Wiewiórowski, the European Data Protection Supervisor, and will include representatives from national data protection agencies and other relevant stakeholders.6

Sources: 1Reuters, 2Rte.ie, 3Business today, 4Www.euractiv.com, 5France 24 and 6Undefined.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by Guardian. This is a responsible move by the EU privacy watchdog. We cannot afford to waste time addressing the challenges posed by artificial intelligence when the development of this technology is unlike anything we've seen before, and incorrectly designed or managed artificial intelligence poses a fundamental risk to human civilization. We need to be proactive rather than reactive in regulating AI.
  • Narrative B, as provided by Reuters. AI is the future, and pausing or otherwise trying to set back its development won't solve any problems. AI offers a revolutionary means to address some of the world's biggest challenges, including inequity and even climate change, and it must be used for this. Rather than trying to reign it in, we simply need to identify the tricky areas of the technology and work harder to improve them.

Predictions