Privacy and data protection Archives | Page 234 of 328

ChatGPT wrongly accuses man of murder

A Norwegian man has lodged a complaint against OpenAI after ChatGPT falsely claimed he had murdered his two sons and was serving a 21-year prison sentence.

Arve Hjalmar Holmen, who has never been accused of any crime, says the chatbot’s response was deeply damaging, leading him to seek action from the Norwegian Data Protection Authority.

Digital rights group Noyb, representing Holmen, argues the incident violates European data protection laws regarding the accuracy of personal data.

The error highlights a growing concern over AI ‘hallucinations,’ where chatbots generate false information and present it as fact.

Holmen received the incorrect response when searching for his own name, with ChatGPT fabricating a detailed and defamatory account of a crime that never occurred. Although the chatbot carries a disclaimer about potential inaccuracies,

Noyb insists this is not enough, arguing that spreading false information cannot be justified by a simple warning label.

AI-generated hallucinations have plagued multiple platforms, including Apple and Google, with some errors being bizarre but others causing real harm.

Experts remain uncertain about the underlying causes of these inaccuracies in large language models, making them a key focus of ongoing research.

While OpenAI has since updated ChatGPT’s model to incorporate current news sources, the case raises questions about accountability and the transparency of AI-generated content.

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EU faces pressure to boost semiconductor supply chain

Leading semiconductor firms are calling on the European Commission to introduce a follow-up to the 2023 EU Chips Act, arguing that a new policy must extend beyond manufacturing to include chip design, materials, and equipment.

Industry groups say the original programme, while encouraging investment, has failed to attract advanced chipmakers or build a competitive supply chain. Approval processes have also been criticised for being too slow, delaying key projects.

Following discussions in Brussels with European lawmakers, representatives from industry groups ESIA and SEMI Europe announced plans to formally request a ‘Chips Act 2.0’ from the Commission.

They argue that the EU must take decisive action to strengthen the entire semiconductor industry, including research and development as well as supplier subsidies.

European Parliament Member Oliver Schenk highlighted how other regions, such as Taiwan, have successfully integrated suppliers into their chip manufacturing ecosystem, whereas Europe still lacks such cohesion.

The meeting included major semiconductor companies such as NXP, Infineon, Bosch, and STMicroelectronics, alongside equipment makers ASML, ASM, and Zeiss.

Meanwhile, a coalition of nine EU countries has pledged to work with the Commission to strengthen Europe’s semiconductor capabilities.

The Commission has yet to outline specific plans, but it has previously stated its intention to launch investment initiatives this year, particularly in artificial intelligence and technology.

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Baidu dismisses claims of leaked user information

Chinese tech giant Baidu has denied claims of an internal data breach after the teenage daughter of a senior executive was accused of sharing users’ personal information online.

The controversy erupted when internet users alleged that the daughter of Baidu vice president Xie Guangjun had posted private details, including phone numbers, following an online dispute.

Baidu insisted that neither employees nor executives have access to user data and claimed the information came from illegally obtained ‘doxing databases’ on foreign platforms.

The company has filed a police report regarding false claims, including allegations that Xie had given his daughter access to Baidu’s databases.

Xie apologised, stating that the data had been sourced from overseas social networking sites.

The case comes amid ongoing crackdown in China on data privacy breaches, with stricter laws in place to prevent unauthorised sharing of personal details.

The controversy has impacted investor confidence, with Baidu’s shares falling more than 4% in Hong Kong trading.

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New HP printers designed to withstand quantum computing attacks

HP has introduced the 8000 Series printers, designed to protect against future cyber threats posed by quantum computing.

Announced at the Amplify 2025 event, the new models include the HP Color LaserJet Enterprise MFP 8801, Mono MFP 8601, and LaserJet Pro Mono SFP 8501. These printers are built to resist sophisticated attacks that could exploit vulnerabilities at the firmware level.

To enhance security, HP has integrated quantum-resistant cryptography within the printers’ ASIC chips. These chips provide digital signature verification, reducing the risk of unauthorised firmware modifications and potential data breaches.

HP emphasised that, without these safeguards, printers could be fully compromised by malicious firmware updates, allowing attackers to gain persistent control over the devices.

The new printers are also designed to integrate seamlessly with Zero Trust network architectures, reinforcing security within enterprise environments.

By incorporating advanced cryptographic measures, HP aims to future-proof its printing solutions against emerging cybersecurity threats.

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Amazon considers further appeal after losing GDPR case

Amazon has lost its appeal against a €746 million fine imposed by Luxembourg’s data protection regulator for breaching EU privacy laws.

The country’s administrative court upheld the penalty in a ruling on 18 March, siding with the National Commission for Data Protection (CNPD), which found Amazon had unlawfully processed personal data under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The fine remains the largest issued under the EU privacy rules.

The CNPD also ordered Amazon to implement corrective measures, although enforcement will be suspended during the appeal period.

Amazon criticised the decision, arguing the fine was based on subjective legal interpretations without prior guidance from regulators. The company confirmed it is considering further legal action.

Europe has taken a strict stance on data privacy violations, with GDPR setting a global benchmark for consumer protections.

The ruling against Amazon reinforces the EU’s commitment to holding major tech companies accountable for their handling of personal data.

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New AI model by Stability AI creates 3D videos from images

Stability AI has unveiled its latest AI model, Stable Virtual Camera, designed to convert 2D images into dynamic 3D video scenes. Announced in a company blog post, the model enables users to create immersive videos with realistic depth and perspective using up to 32 input images. It generates ‘novel views’ of a scene, offering various preset camera movements, including Spiral, Dolly Zoom, Move, and Pan.

The tool is currently available as a research preview and allows users to generate videos in square (1:1), portrait (9:16), and landscape (16:9) formats, with a maximum length of 1,000 frames. However, Stability AI warns that certain images, such as those with people, animals, or complex textures like water, may produce lower-quality results. Highly ambiguous or irregularly shaped objects may also lead to visual artifacts.

Stable Virtual Camera is available for research use under a non-commercial license and can be downloaded from AI development platform Hugging Face. The launch follows a turbulent period for Stability AI, which has recently undergone leadership changes, secured new investments, and expanded into new AI applications, including generative audio. With this latest innovation, the company aims to solidify its position in the competitive AI market.

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Nvidia introduces high-performance AI machines for the future

At GTC 2025, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang unveiled a new generation of AI-focused personal supercomputers designed to redefine computing in the era of AI. The two new machines, DGX Spark and DGX Station, are powered by Nvidia’s Grace Blackwell chip platform and promise to deliver unprecedented AI computing power at the edge.

DGX Spark, available immediately, features the GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip, capable of up to 1,000 trillion operations per second. Meanwhile, the DGX Station, set for release later this year, is built with the GB300 Grace Blackwell Ultra Desktop Superchip and 784GB of memory. According to Nvidia, these supercomputers will allow users to prototype, fine-tune, and deploy AI models with greater efficiency.

Huang described the devices as the future of computing, highlighting their role in supporting AI applications across enterprises. Nvidia has partnered with major manufacturers, including Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo, to bring these machines to market. As AI adoption continues to surge, these systems could become essential tools for developers and businesses looking to stay ahead in an increasingly AI-driven world.

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Elon Musk’s xAI expands with Hotshot acquisition

xAI, Elon Musk’s AI company, has acquired Hotshot, a San Francisco-based startup focused on generative AI video tools.

The company, founded by Aakash Sastry and John Mullan, initially developed AI-driven photo editing tools but shifted its focus to text-to-video AI models.

Hotshot’s video foundation models, such as Hotshot-XL and Hotshot Act One, have already gained significant attention in the AI industry.

The acquisition is expected to boost xAI’s plans to develop its own video generation models, competing with major competitors like OpenAI’s Sora and Google’s Veo 2.

Musk had previously hinted at the creation of a ‘Grok Video’ model, which he anticipates launching in the near future. Hotshot’s team will likely play a key role in scaling these efforts, using xAI’s powerful infrastructure, including the Colossus cluster.

Hotshot’s website has confirmed the sunsetting of its video creation tools as of March 14, with existing customers having until March 30 to download their content.

The specifics of the staff transition to xAI remain unclear, with Sastry declining to comment. This acquisition represents a significant step for xAI in the rapidly evolving generative AI space.

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Meta cracks down on misinformation in Australia

Meta Platforms has announced new measures to combat misinformation and deepfakes in Australia ahead of the country’s upcoming national election.

The company’s independent fact-checking program, supported by Agence France-Presse and the Australian Associated Press, will detect and limit misleading content, while also removing any material that could incite violence or interfere with voting.

Deepfakes, AI-generated media designed to appear real, will also face stricter scrutiny. Meta stated that any content violating its policies would be removed or labelled as ‘altered’ to reduce its visibility.

Users sharing AI-generated content will be encouraged to disclose its origin, aiming to improve transparency.

Meta’s Australian policy follows similar strategies used in elections across India, the UK and the US.

The company is also navigating regulatory challenges in the country, including a proposed levy on big tech firms profiting from local news content and new requirements to enforce a ban on users under 16 by the end of the year.

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OpenAI expands ChatGPT capabilities with Google Drive and Slack integration

OpenAI is preparing to beta test its new feature, ChatGPT Connectors, which will enable businesses to link their Google Drive and Slack accounts to ChatGPT.

Employees can leverage internal company data, including files, presentations, and Slack discussions, to enhance their interactions with the AI chatbot.

The feature will provide answers informed by these internal resources, similar to how ChatGPT currently uses web search to answer general queries.

The initial beta testing will be available to ChatGPT Team subscribers, with plans to extend the functionality to other platforms, such as Microsoft SharePoint and Box.

The move is part of OpenAI’s effort to integrate ChatGPT deeper into business operations, aiming to make it an essential tool for workplace productivity.

While some companies have expressed concerns about sharing sensitive data with AI, ChatGPT Connectors offers reassurances that permissions from Google Drive and Slack will be fully respected and up-to-date.

The ChatGPT Connector model is powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4o, which can refine responses based on a company’s internal knowledge. However, the integration has certain limitations.

For example, it cannot analyse images in Google Drive files or access private Slack messages and group chats. Additionally, companies must provide OpenAI with select documents and conversations for the beta test, though OpenAI assures that no data will be directly used for training the AI.

Enterprise AI-powered search tools may see a significant impact from this development, creating challenges for competitors in the industry.

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