Italy’s temporary ban on ChatGPT has prompted other European governments to consider stricter measures to control the popular chatbots and whether to coordinate them.

While European legislators debate the substance and extent of the EU AI Act, some authorities are discovering that current instruments, like the GDPR, which allows users control over their data, can apply to the fast-developing category of generative AI enterprises.

Generative AI, like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, analyzes enormous amounts of data, some of which may belong to internet users, to create human-like replies to text questions.

The Italian agency Garante accused Microsoft Corp.-backed OpenAI of neglecting to check ChatGPT users’ ages and “lack of any legal basis that justifies the vast gathering and storage of personal data” to “train” the chatbot.

“The arguments they make are essential and illustrate that GDPR does give instruments for regulators to be informed and engaged into influencing the future of AI,” said Clifford Chance associate Dessislava Savova.

France and Ireland have contacted Italian privacy regulators to learn more about the restriction. According to Handelsblatt, Germany may restrict ChatGPT on data security concerns.

“We’re following up with the Italian authority,” stated an Ireland Data Protection Commissioner official. “We will collaborate with all EU data protection agencies.”

The Swedish privacy agency denied contacting the Italian watchdog or banning ChatGPT. Spain’s authority stated it had no ChatGPT complaints but might investigate.

Italy’s Garante, like other privacy authorities, is independent of the government and was among the first to warn Chinese-owned TikTok about violating EU privacy standards.

Privacy commissioners want tighter regulation, but governments are laxer.

Italy’s deputy prime minister called its regulator’s decision “extreme,” while a German government spokeswoman said ChatGPT shouldn’t be banned.

A source claimed the Italian authority’s decision last week was to initiate a conversation with the firm to resolve ChatGPT’s compliance with EU data protection standards, not to prohibit the tool.

Sources stated OpenAI did not react to regulators over the weekend. On Friday in Italy, OpenAI disabled ChatGPT. It did not answer queries regarding other European regulators investigating alleged violations in their nations.

No EU offices.

On Friday, OpenAI, whose artificial intelligence platform shook the globe in November, revealed it intentionally reduces personal data in training its AI algorithms.

After a nine-hour cyber security breach last month exposed ChatGPT chats and financial data, Italy began a probe into OpenAI.

Italy is the first Western nation to ban AI chatbots.

Many analysts suggested the Italian authority may investigate other AI systems like Google Inc.’s (GOOGL.O) Bard.

Savova said Google is more likely than ChatGPT to have considered it because of its experience in Europe and scale.