Google’s plan to launch its artificial intelligence chatbot, Bard, in Europe has hit a regulatory roadblock.
According to the Irish Data Protection Commission, Google has not provided enough detail about Bard’s data privacy policies, leading to a delay in its EU debut.
Bard launch halted by data privacy concerns
The Commission stated that the information presented by Google about the privacy protection of EU citizens of its new generative AI tool was insufficient.
This shortfall has delayed the launch of Bard in the EU, which was planned for this week.
The Irish regulator is calling for an in-depth assessment of Bard’s compliance with EU data protection rules.
Google will be subject to ongoing reviews of its privacy practices, which will be shared with other European data protection agencies.
EU regulatory framework for AI systems
The EU proactively regulates AI systems, prioritizing safety, transparency and non-discrimination.
The first regulatory framework for AI proposed by the EU, known as the AI Law, is on track to become the main global law on AI.
This proposed legislation classifies AI systems based on their risk to users and assigns levels of regulation accordingly.
The AI Act requires AI systems like Google’s Bard and other generative AI models to meet transparency requirements.
These include disclosing AI-generated content, ensuring that the model does not generate illegal content, and publishing copyrighted data summaries for training.
The impact of the AI Act on AI deployments
The AI Law, approved by members of the European Parliament (MEPs) on June 14, is expected to influence the deployment of AI systems in the EU.
Negotiations on the final form of the law will now begin with EU countries in the Council, with the aim of reaching an agreement by the end of the year.
The Act’s strict requirements are set to shape the future of AI technology in the EU.
As Google’s Bard demonstrated, tech companies looking to deploy AI tools around the world need to pay close attention to these evolving regulations.
Google’s commitment to the responsible deployment of AI
Despite the setback, Google remains committed to expanding the availability of Bard.
A Google spokesperson stated:
“We said in May that we wanted to make Bard more widely available, including in the European Union, and that we would do so in a responsible manner, following engagement with experts, regulators and policymakers.”
Google’s Bard, a competitor to OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Bing Chat, has been launched in 180 countries since March, including the US and UK.
However, Google has yet to launch in EU countries, where strict privacy regulations have already scrutinized generative AI tools like ChatGPT for alleged data mishandling and a lack of a law-abiding algorithm .
To sum up
Postponing the EU launch of Google’s Bard isn’t just a setback for Google. It’s a message for all tech companies to take data privacy seriously.
The introduction of the AI Act is set to further tighten regulations on AI systems, requiring companies to demonstrate their commitment to transparency and privacy.
sources: Politician, European Parliament
Featured image: Iljanaresvara Studio/Shutterstock
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