ChatGPT back in Italy after ban was lifted

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Image Credit: Reuters

ChatGPT is now available once again in Italy after making changes as required by the Italian authorities. Recall that Italy’s Privacy Guarantor had last month ordered that ChatGPT be blocked in the country over concerns OpenAI violates the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) through the way it handles data.

The regulator gad said at the time that there was no “legal basis” for OpenAI’s bulk collection of data for training ChatGPT’s model. The Privacy Guarantor added that ChatGPT does not often process data correctly amidst concerns about a flaw that led to the leaking of sensitive user data sometimes in March.

ChatGPT is available again to our users in Italy,” OpenAI told AP in a statement. “We are excited to welcome them back, and we remain dedicated to protecting their privacy.”

The Italian regulator also said OpenAI was not doing enough to protect children. Though ChatGPT is said to be designed for users above the age of 13 according to the company, there is no age check to stop those below the age limit from accessing sensitive information, the Privacy Guarantor officials said.

OpenAI was then given 20 days from the day the deadline was given to address all areas of concerns or face a fine of up to $21.8 million or a maximum four percent of its annual worldwide turnover.

Italy’s order on ChatGPT is likely to sensitize other countries to pay closer attention to OpenAI even as more companies and products begin to adopt the technology.

Microsoft, meanwhile, is pushing hard to ensure it remains ahead of others in generative AI. The company recently added ChatGPT AI to its SwiftKey keyboard on Android.

In a blog post a couple of days back, Microsoft said “we’re excited to share new AI-powered experiences that extend these capabilities to millions of additional people across devices and around the globe!”

The announcement means SwiftKey now supports Bing’s ChatGPT AI, powered by GPT-4. The feature, according to Microsoft’s Pedram Rezaei, is “slowly rolling out,” but some users are already able to access it when downloading the SwiftKey beta from the Play Store.

You can access Bing AI in SwiftKey through the “Bing” button that appears on the left side of the keyboard’s row.

There are two forms; a new “Tone” option that allows you to draft your message in SwiftKey and then have the AI rewrite that message in one of a few ways. The available options include: Professional, Casual, Polite, and Social Post.


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Author: Ola Ric

Ola Ric is a professional tech writer. He has written and provided tons of published articles for professionals and private individuals. He is also a social commentator and analyst, with relevant experience in the use of social media services.

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