The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) has expressed concern about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots, including ChatGPT, and has called for an investigation into their potential harm to individuals. The ChatGPT, developed by Microsoft-backed Open AI, is an AI-powered chatbot that can produce text and images based on prompts, and its popularity has inspired similar tools from Alphabet’s Google, Amazon’s AWS, and Meta Platforms.
In letters addressed to consumer protection authorities, BEUC has voiced its concerns that AI-generated content can mislead consumers, resulting in deceptive advertising. The group further stated that younger consumers and children are more vulnerable to these risks. Thus, the group has urged authorities to investigate the presence of AI chatbots in consumer markets and to explore the necessary remedial actions to avoid consumer harm.
The debate over the regulation of AI and the protection of consumer rights has gained momentum in recent years, and this call for an investigation reflects the growing apprehension towards the potential impact of AI chatbots on consumers. It remains to be seen how consumer protection authorities will respond to BEUC’s plea and what remedial action will be taken to ensure that AI-generated content does not harm consumers.
Consumer protection and privacy are significant concerns in today’s fast-paced technological age, and it is essential that governments and regulatory bodies ensure that technological advances do not come at the cost of consumers’ safety and well-being.