Italy Fines AI Chatbot Maker Replika 5 Million Euros For Data Protection Violation - 1

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Italy Fines AI Chatbot Maker Replika 5 Million Euros For Data Protection Violation

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

Italy’s data protection authority has fined Replika’s parent company, Luka Inc., 5 million euros—approximately 5.64 million dollars—for failing to comply with regulations designed to protect users’ data. The authorities cited concerns about the technology’s potential risks to children and the company’s lack of a sufficient legal basis for processing the personal data of Italian users.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • This Monday, Italy’s data protection authority fined Replika’s parent company, Luka Inc., 5 million euros.
  • The privacy watchdog stated that Replika did not provide an age verification system and lacked a legal basis for processing users’ data.
  • A separate investigation is underway to determine whether the tech company complies with European Union regulations.

According to Reuters , the privacy watchdog Garante announced the decision on Monday, stating that the chatbot platform did not implement an age verification system to prevent children from sharing or accessing sensitive content. As a result, Luka Inc. was fined for these violations.

Replika offers users customizable avatars that can engage in conversations—via chat and voice—to create “virtual friends.” A few months ago, a woman named Sarah Kay reported developing an emotional connection with one of Replika’s chatbots .

The legal battle between Italian authorities and Replika has been unfolding for several years. In 2023, Italy’s data protection agency banned Replika from processing the personal data of Italian citizens, citing the potential risks the technology poses to children.

For nearly two years, Italian authorities have conducted an ongoing investigation and concluded that the AI company lacks a legal basis for processing the data of Italian users.

The data protection agency is also conducting a separate investigation to determine whether Replika complies with European Union policies and legal frameworks, with a particular focus on how the AI’s language model is trained.

The European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) came into force recently to ensure that AI technology in the region is safe, trustworthy, and respects human rights.

Google Launches NotebookLM Mobile App For Android And iOS - 2

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Google Launches NotebookLM Mobile App For Android And iOS

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

Google has launched a new mobile app for its AI tool, NotebookLM. The app includes all the basic features and new features and is now available on both iOS and Android.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • Google has launched the NotebookLM mobile app for Android and iOS.
  • Users can now enjoy Audio Overviews on the go, even offline.
  • The app lets users interact with AI-generated podcast hosts, ask questions, and suggest ideas.

According to the announcement , Google is offering the popular tool on the go, as many users requested it. The initial version offers multiple features, and the tech giant has offered to add more updates soon.

“One of the most frequent requests has been for a mobile app — for listening to Audio Overviews on the go, asking questions about sources in the moment, and sharing content directly to NotebookLM while browsing,” wrote Biao Wang, Product Manager at Google Labs. “Today, we’re happy to say it’s here, on both Android and iOS!”

Google first launched Audio Overview in NotebookLM last year in September with an experimental tool to create AI-generated podcasts with the information—documents, personal notes, and more— provided by users. The feature quickly gained popularity and was recently expanded to 50 more languages .

During the testing period, Google shared the new app with early testers who shared their favorite features. The company highlighted the option of listening to Audio Overviews offline without interruptions, and of interacting with the hosts by tapping on the “join” button on the screen and asking questions or suggesting another angle.

Users can also add new information—videos, websites, or PDFs—from their smartphones, and the company assured that more input options will come soon.

“Whether you’re a student, professional, or just someone who works with a lot of information, we think you’ll love having NotebookLM easily accessible on all your devices,” added Wang.

The app is now available on the App Store for iPhone and iPad running iOS 17 or later, and on the Play Store for phones and tablets with Android 10 or higher.

The announcement of the new application comes ahead of the Google I/O event, which begins in the coming hours.