Italy garnered attention for becoming the first Western country to take action against ChatGPT

Italy garnered attention for becoming the first Western country to take action against ChatGPT, a conversational AI backed by Microsoft and developed by OpenAI. The decision to take down ChatGPT came after Italy's national data agency expressed concerns over potential privacy violations and the inability to confirm users' ages. On March 31, ChatGPT was taken offline in Italy, sparking debates in the tech industry and the country.

Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini criticized the move on Instagram, calling for common sense and expressing concerns about the ban's potential negative impact on Italy's economy and innovation.

Ron Moscona, a technology and data privacy specialist at international law firm Dorsey & Whitney, also questioned the ban, noting that it was uncommon for regulators to entirely prohibit a service due to a data breach incident. OpenAI has complied with Italy's request to block ChatGPT for users within Italy, but stressed its commitment to European privacy regulations and its willingness to work with Italy's privacy regulatory body.

ChatGPT is also under scrutiny in other parts of the world. On the same day it was taken offline in Italy, the Center for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Policy (CAIDP) filed a complaint against the chatbot, describing it as "biased" and "deceptive" and posing risks to public safety and privacy. The situation in Italy could have implications for AI regulations and deployment worldwide.