Calls for US, EU to regulate AI powering ChatGPT intensify

A joint effort by consumer advocacy groups from both sides of the Atlantic has urged the United States and the European Union to establish comprehensive regulations governing generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, such as those fueling tools like ChatGPT.

The Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD), a coalition comprising consumer groups spanning Europe and North America, has reached out to their respective governments, expressing concerns that the rapid advancement and deployment of generative AI have outpaced legislative and regulatory measures, potentially leaving consumers vulnerable.

The TACD highlighted the widespread use of generative AI systems by consumers in the US and globally. While these systems are marketed as time-saving, cost-effective, and labor-reducing tools, the coalition emphasized the potential risks and detrimental effects associated with their utilization.

A particular concern raised by the group is the propensity of generative AI systems to accumulate vast amounts of data during their training process.

This data often includes personal information, which may prove challenging to remove once incorporated into the established training sets and utilized by the tools.

Moreover, the TACD expressed apprehension that biased, discriminatory, or misinformation-laden content used to train AI systems could perpetuate and disseminate these undesirable qualities more widely.

The coalition also sounded the alarm regarding the monopolistic dominance of large corporations in the AI sector. Furthermore, it underscored the substantial environmental impact of running AI tools, which necessitates significant amounts of water and electricity, resulting in heightened carbon emissions.

In their letters to President Biden and EU officials, the consumer groups “called for prompt regulatory action to ensure the responsible and ethical development, deployment, and usage of generative AI technologies.”

Their aim is “to protect consumers and address the potential harms associated with the unregulated proliferation of these powerful AI systems.”