Regulators in Poland have initiated a case against OpenAI, an announcement revealed on Sept. 20. The Personal Data Protection Office in Poland stated that it is examining a complaint made by an individual regarding OpenAI’s popular ChatGPT app. The complainant alleged that OpenAI mishandled data, lacked transparency, and provided erroneous responses.
According to the complaint, ChatGPT generated false information about the individual user, and OpenAI failed to address this issue upon request. Furthermore, the complainant expressed concerns about the lack of clarity regarding the processing of their personal data. OpenAI has been accused of offering evasive and contradictory responses, thus lacking transparency in its data processing principles. The complainant argues that OpenAI should have informed them about the collection of their data in line with data obligations and the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
If the allegations against OpenAI are valid, the company’s practices may breach the GDPR rules, which aim to protect individuals’ data privacy. The Personal Data Protection Office acknowledges the challenges associated with this case, primarily because OpenAI is not located in the European Union and due to the involvement of newly-developed AI technology.
OpenAI has faced similar investigations and actions across Europe, particularly in EU member states. In April, Italy temporarily banned ChatGPT before reinstating its operations once the service complied with the necessary requirements. France reported receiving two complaints about OpenAI during the same period, while Spain requested EU privacy regulators to assess privacy concerns related to ChatGPT. Notably, Germany initiated investigations limited to one state within the country. Beyond Europe, Japanese regulators cautioned OpenAI against collecting sensitive personal data in violation of local laws, and Canadian regulators launched their own investigation into OpenAI and ChatGPT.
OpenAI finds itself entangled in regulatory challenges in Poland as the country’s Personal Data Protection Office investigates the complaint against its chat application, ChatGPT. The allegations of unlawful data handling, lack of transparency, and provision of false information pose potential violations of GDPR rules. The company’s popularity and widespread usage of ChatGPT have attracted regulatory scrutiny in various countries. OpenAI’s ability to navigate and resolve these regulatory challenges will significantly impact its future operations and reputation in the field of AI technology.
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