Canada to investigate OpenAI over ChatGPT data collection

Ottawa: American software firm OpenAI, known for its revolutionary chatbot ChatGPT, is under investigation by the Canadian government after a complaint alleged the "collection, use, and disclosure of personal information without consent."

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner is carrying out the probe. "We need to keep up with — and stay ahead of — fast-moving technological advances, and that is one of my key focus areas," said Canadian privacy commissioner Philippe Dufresne.

Since its launch in November 2022, many have criticised the lack of transparency over how ChatGPT and similar AI chatbots got their data and processed it. The chatbot scours the internet and provides detailed answers to questions asked by users. AI-powered technology is also being slammed for changing the job market and hurting the success of creative people. Many industry insiders and politicians have been calling for regulation.

Last week, Elon Musk and hundreds of global experts called for a six-month pause on AI research more powerful than GPT-4 citing "profound risks to society and humanity."

"The speed at which it’s moving is outpacing our ability to make sense of it, know what risks it poses, and our ability to mitigate those risks. Six months gives us the time to create governance around it and to understand it better. It buys us time for those conversations, risk analysis, and risk mitigation efforts," said Emilia Javorsky, director of multi-stakeholder engagements at the Future of Life Institute in the letter.

Italy on Friday became the first country in the West to block ChatGPT over concerns about data use. Privacy regulators in France and Ireland reached out to counterparts in Italy to learn more about the basis of the ban. China reportedly blocked access to ChatGPT in February.