OpenAI, the creator of artificial intelligence (AI)-based chatbot ChatGPT, is considering opening an office and expanding into Japan. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman met Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and exchanged views on the technological progress and benefits of AI. They also discussed AI-related risks, including privacy and copyright infringement.
Japan’s chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said that the country would evaluate the possibility of launching AI-powered technology like Microsoft (MSFT)-backed OpenAI’s ChatGPT, as it examines the pros and cons. Matsuno told reporters that the country would consider the government adoption of AI technologies such as ChatGPT chatbot if privacy and cybersecurity concerns were resolved.
Japan marks the first international trip for the CEO since the launch of ChatGPT last year. Altman said that OpenAI intends to “build something great for Japanese people, make the models better for Japanese language and Japanese culture.”
Japan’s potential adoption of OpenAI comes amid Italy’s recent ban on ChatGPT over privacy fears. The Italian Data Protection regulatory authority ordered OpenAI to temporarily cease processing users’ data amid an inquiry into a suspected breach of Europe’s stringent privacy regulations. The regulator cited a data breach at OpenAI, which allowed users to view the titles of chats that other users were having with ChatGPT. Meanwhile, OpenAI plans to propose measures to resolve Italy’s data privacy concerns.
