ChatGPT app now in India; data bill will push platforms ‘behavioural change,’ says Rajeev Chandrasekhar
OpenAI has expanded the availability of its ChatGPT app for iOS users in 33 countries, including India, where a subscription costs just under Rs. 1,000 a month. Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar has stated that the upcoming Digital Personal Data Protection Bill in India will bring about significant changes in the behaviour of platforms that have exploited or misused personal data, according to a Press Trust of India report carried by Hindustan Times. Also in this brief, WhatsApp is said to be working on a screen-sharing feature. Notes: OpenAI has expanded the availability of its ChatGPT app for iOS users in 33 countries, including India, Algeria, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Poland, and the United Arab Emirates, TechCrunch reports. This comes just a week after the app's launch in the United States. Within six days of its initial availability, the ChatGPT mobile app surpassed half a million downloads, making it one of the most successful new apps. It also outperformed other AI and chatbot apps, as well as Microsoft Edge and Bing apps, in terms of downloads in the U.S. since its launch, according to TechCrunch. OpenAI's ChatGPT app allows users to interact with the AI-based chatbot on their iPhones. It offers voice input through Whisper, supports advanced features for ChatGPT Plus subscribers, and enables direct subscription to ChatGPT Plus for $20 per month in the U.S., all while being ad-free and available for free download. In India subscription to the paid version costs Rs. 999 per month or Rs. 7,900 as a lifetime purchase, according to the plans on offer via the app. Meanwhile, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has reversed his earlier statements and clarified that the company has no plans to leave Europe, despite expressing concerns about the European Union's proposed AI Act, CNBC reports. Altman had initially threatened to cease operations in Europe if the regulations were too stringent. Twitter has withdrawn from the European Union's voluntary agreement to combat online disinformation, according to European Commissioner Thierry Breton. While other major social media platforms have pledged to support the EU's disinformation "code of practice," Twitter has chosen to opt-out. WhatsApp is said to be working on enhancing its video calling experience with a new feature that allows users to share their screens during video calls, Mint reports, citing a website called WABetaInfo. The feature is reportedly being tested by Android beta testers who have installed the latest version of WhatsApp beta for Android. Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar has stated that the upcoming Digital Personal Data Protection Bill in India will bring about significant changes in the behaviour of platforms that have exploited or misused personal data, according to a Press Trust of India report carried by Hindustan Times. Chandrasekhar clarified that the proposed government-appointed fact-check body is not about censorship but rather providing an opportunity for the government to counter misinformation related to it.