The Irish Data Protection Commission (or DPC) Data Protection CommissionThe European Commission (EC) acting on behalf of the European Union (EU) announced on Thursday 12 September that it was opening an investigation into Google for using personal data of European users to develop one of its artificial intelligence (AI) models.
The DPC’s research concerns the AI model “Pathways Language Model 2” (PaLM 2), a version launched by Google in 2023, whose aim, among other things, is to facilitate translations. The large Californian group then began to implement, in December of the same year, a new AI model, Gemini, which is even more advanced.
In a press release, the DPC writes that the investigation should determine “If Google had respected the obligations it could have had” realize “an impact study” intended to ensure protection “fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals”.
This obligation arises from the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), established in 2018 by Brussels, which aims to protect the liberalized use of this information by technology giants.
Complaints against Meta in June
The DPC announced earlier this month that the social network X, owned by American Elon Musk, has definitively committed to no longer exploiting the personal data of its European users to train its artificial intelligence program.
In June, the American social media specialist Meta (Facebook, Instagram) suspended its project to use its users’ personal data in an artificial intelligence program, which has been the subject of complaints in eleven European countries.
The Irish Data Protection Commission is competent to act on behalf of the European Union because Google’s European headquarters are in Ireland, as are those of many major Silicon Valley groups. Their presence is crucial to the country’s economy and Dublin offers them attractive taxation.
