The Irish data protection watchdog has announced it will be investigating Google for its AI training methods, saying the tech giant may not have gained prior consent to process user data for the training of its AI models as laid out in GDPR.

The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) will probe if Google complied with its GDPR obligations to undertake an assessment prior to processing EU citizens data for the development it its Pathways Language Model 2 (PaLM2).

The impact assessment is thought to be crucial to ensure people’s rights and freedoms are taken into consideration when personal data is processed for new emerging technologies.

As more AI models come into the fore, and companies develop and test these models, the GDPR rule has come into focus.

To avoid similar scrutiny, Meta has delayed the training of some of its AI models in Europe as it figures out how to comply with EU data protection regulations.

In particular, the investigation will  look into the cross-border processing of EU data as multiple EU countries are concerned.

Recommended reading

• Demystifying GDPR & AI: Safeguarding Personal Data in the Age of LLMs
• Meta Delays AI Training in Europe Following Regulatory Concern
• X’s Default Data Harvesting for AI Model Under Regulatory Scrutiny

The investigation into Google’s AI training practices follows a request from the Irish DPC for X to stop training its AI chatbot, Grok, on user posts until its GDPR compliance has been examined.

Most big tech companies operating place their European headquarters in Ireland, due to the country’s EU status and business-friendly regulation and tax rates.

This is why the Irish DPC spearheads many GDPR investigations into some of the biggest names in tech, though the overriding EU Data Protection Board (EUDPB) has been known to take over cases due to the Irish DPC’s leniency.

Due to the EU’s stricter data regulations, and the EU AI Act, CEOs of top companies investing in AI, including Meta and Spotify, have warned that Europe risks being left behind as AI advances due to their strict regulations.