ChatGPT may come back to Italy by April end, country demands changes from OpenAI

Italy’s Data Protection Authority has indicated a comeback for OpenAI's ChatGPT chatbot if the firm remedied the concerns that led to a ban on the Artificial Intelligence tool last week. Italian authorities have set an end-April deadline for OpenAI to meet their demands on data protection and privacy and inculcate the prescribed changes for its artificial intelligence ChatGPT chatbot service to resume once again. 

Italy's deputy prime minister, who also serves as the transport minister had been criticising the Italian prime minister Georgia Meloni-led government's decision to temporarily ban the chatbot ChatGPT. The nationwide ban over the so-called "privacy concerns" was excessive, Matteo Salvini, who emerged as the government's detractor, noted. 

"This is a work tool that many young people, many companies, many start-ups were using," Salvini said at the Foreign Press Association in Rome, stressing that such a block on AI will hamper national progress, businesses and innovation. "Every technological revolution brings great changes, risks and opportunities. It is right to control and regulate through international cooperation between regulators and legislators, but it cannot be blocked," he said. "I hope that they can use it again as soon as possible because otherwise, Italy will have a gap compared to all other European countries," the Italian minister added.

Salvini demanded a reversal of the ban on the chatbot powered by artificial intelligence labelling the regulator's move as "hypocritical" and adding that common sense was needed as "privacy issues concern practically all online services".

Italian Deputy Prime Minister. Credit: Twitter/@matteosalvinimi

"I find the decision of the Privacy Watchdog that forced #ChatGPT to prevent access from Italy disproportionate,"  leader of the ruling coalition League party, Salvini, wrote on Instagram.

OpenAI complies with Italian regulators, to submit a detailed plan

Italy had blocked the AI tool citing concerns about how the firm OpenAI collects user data, and the fact that it gives users below the age of 13 unrestricted access to the service. While OpenAI complied with the Italian regulators pending an investigation, in a video conference this week, it resolved to work on the changes and be more transparent with respect o the handling of the user data. The firm told the Italian authorities that it would verify the age of users more appropriately and introduce measures to make the AI tool safe for use. The firm also agreed to minimize the use of personal data in training its AI systems like ChatGPT.

"We look forward to working closely with (the Italian data agency) and educating them on how our systems are built and used," OpenAI said in a statement.

We’re sharing details on our approach to safety https://t.co/IRSfIyVxyA

— OpenAI (@OpenAI) April 5, 2023

US-based company OpenAI plans to table a proposal that Italian authorities have said they will evaluate and make a decision. Authorities have instructed the firm to obtain consent from the users before storing or using their data that could later be corrected or deleted.

OpenAI would have to run information on Italian television, radio, websites and newspapers by May 14 to detail how the user information is used by the tool to train the ChatGPT algorithm to generate human-like responses. "Only then, the reasons for urgency having ceased to exist, will the Authority suspend the temporary restriction order on the processing of Italian users' data taken against the U.S. company, and ChatGPT will be able to become accessible again from Italy," the Italian Data Protection Authority said in a press release. It demanded that the firm submits a detailed plan by May 31 to ensure that minors younger than 13 access the tool only with parental consent.