Google's conversational AI service Bard faces delay in EU launch over privacy concerns

Google’s highly-anticipated conversational AI service, Google Gemini, has hit a roadblock in its debut in the European Union. The tech giant had initially launched the experimental chatbot in more than 180 countries earlier this year, but the EU launch has been delayed due to unresolved privacy concerns.

The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), which is the regulator for Google’s Dublin-based EU operations, had raised questions about the compliance of Bard with the EU’s data protection rules. The DPC had asked Google to provide a detailed assessment and answer additional questions about the chatbot’s privacy features.

However, Google has failed to provide satisfactory answers to the DPC’s queries, leading to the delay in the launch of Bard in the EU. Given Google’s history of legal tussles with EU regulators over various issues in recent years, the tech giant is likely to tread with caution in resolving the privacy concerns raised by the DPC.

While the delay in the launch of Bard in the EU is a setback for Google, it underscores the growing importance of privacy and data protection in the tech industry. With regulators around the world cracking down on tech companies for their handling of user data, it is imperative for companies like Google to ensure that their products and services are compliant with privacy laws and regulations.