ChatGPT’s ‘hallucination’ problem hit with another privacy complaint in EU

OpenAI faces EU privacy complaints over ChatGPT's misinformation and GDPR violations.

: OpenAI is under scrutiny in the EU for failing to correct misinformation produced by ChatGPT about individuals, violating GDPR rights. Privacy group noyb filed a complaint in Austria on behalf of a public figure whose birth date was incorrectly generated by ChatGPT. The issue highlights broader concerns with generative AI's compliance with EU laws regarding data accuracy and transparency.

OpenAI has found itself at the center of a privacy controversy in the European Union once again, as the company faces allegations of failing to adhere to the bloc's strict GDPR regulations with its AI chatbot, ChatGPT. The privacy rights organization, noyb, has lodged a complaint with the Austrian data protection authority on behalf of an individual, stated to be a public figure, who discovered that ChatGPT had incorrectly listed their birth date. Despite attempts to have this information corrected, OpenAI apparently claimed it was technically unfeasible to amend the generated data, offering instead to filter or block the data in response to certain prompts. This response raises concerns about the AI's compliance with GDPR requirements for data accuracy and the rectification of incorrect information.

GDPR regulations provide individuals within the EU the right to have incorrect data rectified and the right to have their data deleted, signaling that entities like OpenAI cannot selectively determine which rights to honor. The broader implications of noyb's complaint touch upon the generative AI industry's challenge in meeting these legal standards, particularly when dealing with the accuracy and transparency of the data they process about individuals. OpenAI's dealings with the GDPR spotlight the tension between rapid technological advancements and existing legal frameworks designed to protect individual privacy and data rights.

Moreover, the unfolding situation with OpenAI's GDPR compliance issues is not isolated, as similar complaints have been filed in other EU member states, including Poland and Italy. These developments indicate a growing concern over the ability of AI technologies to operate within the regulatory confines of the EU, emphasizing the need for a balance between innovation and privacy protection. As regulatory bodies across Europe continue to scrutinize OpenAI's compliance, the resolution of these complaints could set significant precedents for the future of AI governance and data protection within the EU.

GDPR complianceOpenAI privacyChatGPT misinformation