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Advocacy group NOYB has filed a privacy complaint against Microsoft-backed startup OpenAI, alleging violations of EU privacy rules due to incorrect information provided by its generative AI chatbot, ChatGPT, and the company’s refusal to rectify the issue.
ChatGPT, hailed for spearheading the GenAI movement since late 2022, boasts the ability to emulate human conversation and undertake various tasks, including summarizing texts, composing poems, and generating ideas for theme parties.
According to NOYB, a public figure, upon querying ChatGPT about his birthday, received consistently inaccurate responses instead of the chatbot acknowledging its lack of relevant data. Despite requests for correction or deletion of the erroneous information, OpenAI purportedly claimed it was impossible to rectify the data and failed to disclose details regarding data processing, sources, or recipients.
NOYB has thus lodged a complaint with the Austrian data protection authority, urging an investigation into OpenAI’s data processing practices and measures implemented to ensure the accuracy of personal data handled by its large language models.
Maartje de Graaf, NOYB data protection lawyer, emphasized the necessity for technology to align with legal requirements, stating, “If a system cannot produce accurate and transparent results, it cannot be used to generate data about individuals.” She underscored the importance of compliance with legal standards, stressing that technology must adapt to meet regulatory demands.
OpenAI has previously acknowledged ChatGPT’s tendency to provide plausible yet incorrect or nonsensical responses, citing the challenge in rectifying this issue. However, NOYB’s complaint highlights the imperative for companies to ensure compliance with EU privacy regulations when processing personal data.
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