ChatGPT banned in Italy over data privacy concerns, faces investigation by Data Protection Authority

Italy's Data Protection Authority has become the first in Europe to ban the use of ChatGPT due to privacy concerns. The Authority will investigate whether ChatGPT has complied with the country's General Data Protection Regulation after a data breach affecting user conversations and payment information was reported on March 20. The Italian watchdog has opened an investigation into ChatGPT and OpenAI with immediate effect temporarily limiting the processing of Italian users' data by OpenAI. The Authority has cited the lack of information provided to users and interested parties regarding data collection, as well as the absence of a legal basis for the mass collection and storage of personal data to train the platform's algorithms, as key concerns. The move follows growing calls for stronger regulation of AI and data privacy worldwide.