Italy's data protection agency, Garante, has initiated an investigation into OpenAI's video generation service, Sora, which creates videos based on text inputs. The agency is seeking clarification from OpenAI regarding its data usage practices, asking whether the company complies with European Union regulations in informing users and non-users about the data employed by Sora.

Garante is known for being proactive in ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations on AI platforms. In the past, the agency banned ChatGPT due to alleged breaches of the EU privacy rules.

While no specific accusations have been made against OpenAI, Garante is examining the potential implications of Sora on the use of personal data within the EU and specifically in Italy.

As part of the investigation, Garante has requested OpenAI to provide information on the training algorithm, the data collected and used for training, and whether the service is already available to users in the EU and Italy.

The lack of immediate response from OpenAI and Garante's previous actions appear as precedents in this investigation. It highlights Garante's commitment to scrutinising AI technologies and their impact on personal data, emphasising the need for clear communication and compliance with regulatory standards.