The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an official review into foundational AI models, used to train and support popular tools such as ChatGPT.
The investigation aims to "ensure that innovation in AI continues in a way that benefits consumers, businesses and the UK economy", according to the regulator. It is expected to asses the rapid rise of foundational models, and recommend principles that would continue to support this growth in a way that does not harm consumers.
The announcement comes amid growing concerns over the rapid development of generative AI. Over the last few months, AI-powered chatbots such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT have seen a dramatic rise in popularity. These free tools can generate text in response to a prompt, including articles, essays, jokes and even poetry. A study published in January showed ChatGPT was able to pass a law exam, scoring an overall grade of C+.
"AI has burst into the public consciousness...