OpenAI to meet with Italy’s Data Protection Authority on Wednesday

The Data Protection Authority of Italy announced that it scheduled a meeting with OpenAI’s representatives on Wednesday evening following their temporary prohibition of the ChatGPT chatbot. OpenAI sent a letter on Monday expressing their desire to cooperate in adhering to European privacy regulations and finding a mutual resolution.

The ChatGPT chatbot, which is supported by Microsoft-backed OpenAI, was taken down in Italy last week after the country’s Data Protection Authority imposed a temporary ban and initiated an investigation into the suspected violation of privacy regulations by the AI tool.

OpenAI was given 20 days by the watchdog to respond to their concerns and resolve the issues raised. Failure to comply with the regulations could have resulted in OpenAI facing a significant fine of up to €20 million or 4% of its annual global turnover.

The ban by Italy was implemented shortly after the AI model’s recent data leak. OpenAI had disclosed that certain users had obtained access to another user’s personal details, such as their full name, email address, payment address, and partial credit card information.