The Italian deputy prime minister on Sunday criticized a decision by the government’s Data Protection Authority on the temporary ban of AI chatbot ChatGPT.
The stated that the block over privacy concerns seemed excessive.
Microsoft-backed OpenAI blocked ChatGPT in Italy on Friday after the country’s national data agency raised concerns about possible privacy violations and also for failing to verify whether users were aged 13 or above.
The move made Italy the first Western country to take action against an artificial intelligence chatbot.
“I find the decision of the Privacy Watchdog that forced #ChatGPT to prevent access from Italy disproportionate,” Matteo Salvini, leader of the ruling coalition League party, wrote on Instagram.
However, ChatGPT in the wake of the ban in Italy said, “We look forward to working closely with (the Italian data agency) and educating them on how our systems are built and used,”
Salvini added that the ban could harm businesses and innovation and hoped for a speedy solution to the issues that led to the ban and restoration of the chatbot’s access to Italy.
“Every technological revolution brings great changes, risks and opportunities. It is right to control and regulate through an international cooperation between regulators and legislators, but it cannot be blocked,” he said.
Since the launch of ChatGPT last year, it has set off an AI race among tech firms with Google and others trying of build a replica.
