After having already suspended this highly criticized practice in August, the social network X has definitively committed to no longer exploiting the personal data of its European users to train its artificial intelligence (AI) program, announced the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) on Wednesday, September 4. The Irish data protection authority is competent to act on behalf of the EU because X’s European headquarters are located in Ireland, like those of many Silicon Valley giants.
The DPC, which acts on behalf of the European Union, announced that legal proceedings it had brought in the Irish High Court had been withdrawn after “X’s agreement to continue to comply with the terms” of this commitment made at the beginning of August concerning Grok, its AI technology. This is “now of a permanent commitment” from the social network, said Graham Doyle, head of communications for the Irish regulator. X has not responded officially.
Complaints in eight European countries
Elon Musk’s social network used the personal data of its European users between May 7 and August 1, according to the DPC, which works in collaboration with European regulators. The platform is the subject of complaints in eight European countries for its use “illegal” personal data of its users in an AI program, according to a count by the Austrian association Noyb in early August.
At the same time, the DPC sent a request for an opinion to the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) on Wednesday, aimed at deciding “some of the fundamental questions that arise in the context of processing (data) for the purpose of developing and training an AI model”the Irish regulator said in a statement.
