Japan Privacy Watchdog Warns ChatGPT Maker OpenAI on User Data

Reuters || Shining BD

Published: 6/4/2023 5:17:48 AM

The company that developed the ChatGPT chatbot, OpenAI, is backed by Microsoft (MSFT.O), and the privacy watchdog in Japan said on Friday that it has been warned not to collect sensitive data without people's consent.

The Personal Information Protection Commission stated in a statement that OpenAI should limit the sensitive data it gathers for machine learning, adding that it may take further action if it has additional concerns.

The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI), which can generate text and images and whose effects some have compared to the advent of the internet, has regulators around the world scrambling to develop regulations.
Japan has lagged behind in some recent technological trends, but as its population is declining, it is thought to have a greater incentive to keep up with the latest developments in AI and robotics in order to maintain productivity.

The watchdog emphasized the need to strike a balance between privacy concerns and the potential advantages of generative AI, such as accelerating innovation and addressing issues like climate change.

According to analytics company Similarweb, the third-largest source of visitors to OpenAI's website is Japan.
Prior to the Group of Seven (G7) leaders summit, where Kishida moderated a discussion on regulating AI, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman met with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in April to discuss expansion in Japan.

The EU, a leader in global tech regulation, established a taskforce on ChatGPT and is developing what may be the first set of regulations for AI.

As a result of the rapid adoption of these chatbots, regulators have had to rely on already in place rules to fill the gap.

Before the business agreed to add age verification features and allow European users to opt out of having their information used to train the system, ChatGPT was taken offline by Italian regulator Garante.

Last week, Altman clarified that OpenAI had no plans to leave Europe, contrary to earlier comments that the startup might do so if EU regulations proved to be too onerous to follow.
 

Shining BD