MILAN, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Italy's privacy watchdog said

on Friday it fined ChatGPT maker OpenAI 15 million euros ($15.58

million) after closing an investigation into use of personal

data by the generative artificial intelligence application.

The authority, known as Garante, is one of the European

Union's most proactive regulators in assessing AI platform

compliance with the bloc's data privacy regime.

The Garante said it found OpenAI processed users' personal

data "to train ChatGPT without having an adequate legal basis

and violated the principle of transparency and the related

information obligations towards users".

OpenAI had no immediate comment on Friday. It has previously

said it believes its practices are aligned with the European

Union's privacy laws.

Last year the Italian watchdog briefly banned the use of

ChatGPT in Italy over alleged breaches of EU privacy rules.

The service was reactivated after Microsoft ( MSFT )-backed

OpenAI addressed issues concerning, among other things,

the right of users to refuse consent for the use of personal

data to train algorithms.

($1 = 0.9626 euros)