The European Data Protection Board has announced the creation of a task force to address potential regulation of ChatGPT and other Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbots.

The statement read: “The EDPB members discussed the recent enforcement action undertaken by the Italian data protection authority against OpenAI about the Chat GPT service.

“The EDPB decided to launch a dedicated task force to foster cooperation and to exchange information on possible enforcement actions conducted by data protection authorities.”

The news comes after the Italian government issued and outright ban of the chatbot, which was developed by OpenAI. Italy was concerned over implications the tech had for data protection under GDPR, but did say the ban would be lifted if certain restrictions were adhered to.

Stipulations include having Open AI verify users’ ages before using the chatbot, making privacy notices available, and provide a legal basis for why the company can process personal data to train it’s AI algorithms, and allowing users to correct misinformation and remove personal data.

While the ban may be lifted by the end of April, other countries are following the caution, with France, Germany, and Spain all opening enquiries into the safety of the AI chatbot’s use and its implications on data protection.

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The UK also published a plan to both champion AI technology as well as provide guidance of how to safely develop and deploy the tech. The plan included five key principles for AI, including safety, fairness, transparency, accountability and contestability, with a specific emphasis on AI ethics.

It appears that developers are also cautious about the rise of AI, with thousands of scientists and company owners – including major players like Steve Wozniak, Andrew Yang, and Elon Musk – calling for a delay in AI development as regulators struggle to keep up with the advancing technology.