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OpenAI Faces Privacy Complaint in Vienna Over ChatGPT’s Data Handling

By  |  April 29, 2024

A privacy advocacy group, NOYB, has filed a complaint against OpenAI, a startup backed by Microsoft, alleging a breach of EU privacy rules due to incorrect information provided by its generative AI chatbot, ChatGPT. The complaint stems from ChatGPT’s failure to rectify inaccurate data despite repeated requests, raising concerns about compliance with data protection regulations.

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    ChatGPT, hailed for spearheading the GenAI revolution since late 2022, boasts capabilities ranging from mimicking human conversation to generating creative content like poems and theme party ideas, as reported by Reuters. However, NOYB’s complaint centers on ChatGPT’s handling of personal data, specifically regarding a public figure’s birthday inquiry. Instead of disclosing its inability to provide accurate information, ChatGPT allegedly persisted in furnishing incorrect details.

    OpenAI reportedly declined the complainant’s request to rectify or erase the data, citing technical limitations. Furthermore, the company purportedly failed to disclose crucial information regarding data processing, including its sources and recipients, as per Reuters. NOYB’s complaint, filed with the Austrian data protection authority, calls for an investigation into OpenAI’s data processing practices and measures ensuring the accuracy of personal data processed by its language models.

    Read more: ChatGPT, Bard & Co.: An Introduction to AI for Competition and Regulatory Lawyers

    Maartje de Graaf, a data protection lawyer at NOYB, emphasized the necessity for AI systems like ChatGPT to adhere to legal requirements. “If a system cannot produce accurate and transparent results, it cannot be used to generate data about individuals,” de Graaf stated, underscoring the paramount importance of aligning technology with regulatory standards.

    OpenAI has previously acknowledged ChatGPT’s tendency to provide “plausible-sounding but incorrect or nonsensical answers,” acknowledging the challenge in addressing this issue, as reported by Reuters. The latest complaint against OpenAI underscores the complexities surrounding AI-driven data processing and the imperative for stringent compliance with privacy regulations.

    Source: Reuters