ROME – The popular ChatGPT software developed by artificial intelligence company OpenAI is once again available in Italy after addressing privacy concerns, reported a German news agency quoting a regulator yesterday.
OpenAI had reinstated the service in Italy “with enhanced transparency and rights for European users”, the data protection authority known as Garante said in a statement.
The agency said OpenAI is now complying with several conditions the authority had asked for to lift the ban imposed in late March.
Specifically, OpenAI has improved transparency on its website as to how user data is processed, granted users certain opt-out rights, and put in place barriers for children under the age of 13.
The Microsoft-backed company had been accused of not telling its users what information was being stored from them and also of not having a legal basis for collecting and storing the data.
ChatGPT can answer prompts with essays, poetry, computer code and other content.
Its release in 2022 threw a spotlight on advances in artificial intelligence and ignited discussions about the possible consequences. – Bernama, April 29, 2023