Romania has no plans to ban ChatGPT, digitalization minister says

Romania has no plans to ban the AI-powered conversational robot developed by Open AI, ChatGPT, according to the country’s minister of research and digitalization, Sebastian Burduja.

Italy recently banned the AI bot after the Italian data protection authority said there were privacy concerns relating to the model. Romania has no such plans at the moment.

When asked by G4Media if there is an analysis at the level of the ministry or the government related to how ChatGPT complies with Romania's legislation regarding the protection of personal data and minors, as in Italy, Burduja said he will request an analysis that will be discussed in the Cybersecurity Operational Council, according to G4Media.

“Just as we did in the case of TikTok, we will conduct an analysis regarding ChatGPT and we will discuss it in the Cybersecurity Operational Council (COSC), from the perspective of cybersecurity,” Burduja said.

“Regarding the protection of personal data, the National Authority for the Supervision of Personal Data Processing (A.N.S.P.D.C.P.) has the institutional powers and the necessary means to analyze the situation and take any measures. Regarding the cybersecurity aspects, I want to point out that, with the entry into force of the Cybersecurity Law, each institution can impose the necessary restrictions. […] Until COSC decision is reached, each public institution can take measures for its own systems,” he added.

“I am a Liberal and, in principle, I am against banning a private initiative. I do not consider it appropriate to ban an AI-based solution,” the minister also said, adding that the ministry he heads will analyze cybersecurity vulnerabilities pertaining to ChatGPT.

Romania’s Ministry of Research, Innovation, and Digitalization also announced plans to establish the Romanian Committee for Artificial Intelligence, a new structure with the role of supporting the AI field in Romania. The new body will have representatives from public administration, the private sector, academia, and civil society.

“We will also form a Scientific Research Council and an Ethics Council in AI, with highly qualified specialists from the country and the diaspora, who will analyze the impact of using such technology at the national level,” the minister said.

(Photo source: Rokas Tenys |