ChatGPT available again in Italy – Now with age verification

The AI ​​chatbot ChatGPT can be used again in Italy. The operator OpenAI announced that, among other things, it had installed an age check for new local users. A new form allows users in the European Union to object to the use of their data.

“OpenAI restores the service in Italy with improved transparency and rights for European users,” explained the Italian data protection authority Garante. The US company now meets a number of conditions that the authority had demanded in order to lift the ban on the text robot. However, the authority called for further measures such as a system to verify the age of users. The investigations against OpenAI would continue.

Blocking due to data protection deficiencies

Italy’s data protection officers had initiated investigations into suspected data protection violations against ChatGPT at the end of March. The software from the field of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has since been blocked for Italian users for the time being. OpenAI was not allowed to process user data from Italy. The start-up was accused of not telling its users what information they stored. It was also accused of having no legal basis for collecting and storing the data. In addition, there are no adequate filters or blocks for children under the age of 13.

The data protection authority then set OpenAI a deadline in mid-April to comply with the rules. The demands included the establishment of a transparent note in which the methods behind data processing are to be explained.

A chatbot is an application that uses artificial intelligence to converse with people in natural language. ChatGPT garnered global attention when it launched last year, generating essays, songs, exams, and even news articles from short prompts. The rapid spread of such text-based dialogue systems has made waves in politics and business. There are concerns about incorrect answers and data protection.

kle/wa (rtr, dpa, afpe)