Irish regulator the Data Protection Commission (DPC) has launched an inquiry into whether Google complied with European Union privacy laws regarding the development of one of its artificial intelligence models.

"The Data Protection Commission today announced that it has commenced a cross-border statutory inquiry into Google Ireland," the DPC said in a statement.

"The statutory inquiry concerns the development of its foundational AI model," adding the probe centers around "the question of whether Google has complied with any obligations that it may have had to undertake" under the European Union's strict General Data Protection Regulation.

Personal data of EU citizens

This would have been "prior to engaging in the processing of the personal data" of EU citizens.

"A data protection impact assessment, where required, is of crucial importance in ensuring that the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals are adequately considered and protected when processing of personal data is likely to result in a high risk," the Dublin-based regulator said in its statement.

"This statutory inquiry forms part of the wider efforts of the DPC" and other EU regulators overseeing "personal data of EU/EEA data subjects in the development of AI models and systems."

Meta and ChatGPT make personal data policy changes

In June of this year, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, said it was halting plans to use personal data to train AI models after concerns were raised by the DPC.

The decision "followed intensive engagement," the watchdog said at the time.

In March 2023, Italy's data privacy regulator temporarily banned ChatGPT because of data privacy breaches.

Within a month, the hotly debated AI chatbot came back online after installing new warnings for users and the option to opt-out of having chats be used to train ChatGPT's algorithms.

jsi/kb (AFP, AP)