Italy has become the first Western country to block ChatGPT over privacy concerns.
The temporary ban comes as the Italian authorities launch a probe into ChatGPT over a suspected breach of data collection rules.
The country’s data protection agency also accused ChatGPT of failing to check the age of its users, which should be reserved to people aged 13 and above.
It said it had provisionally restricted the chatbot’s use of Italian users’ personal data.
The move came after an alleged leak of personal data last week, said to have exposed some user conversations and some financial details for several hours.
The watchdog said OpenAI, the US company behind ChatGPT, would have 20 days to respond to the ban and illustrate what actions it had adopted to tackle the issues.
If it fails to respond, the watchdog has the power to issue fines of up to €20m (£17.56m).
The chatbot has been used by millions of people worldwide since it launched in November 2022.
The advanced chatbot can mimic human conversation and can provide answers to wide-ranging queries using the internet as it was in 2021 as its database.
Earlier this week, a group of tech figures and scientists including Elon Musk called for a six-month pause on developing AI systems similar to ChatGPT-4, the latest model, saying it could “pose profound risks to society and humanity”.
Microsoft has invested billions of dollars in the technology, which was added to search engine Bing last month.
In the UK, ministers said on Wednesday they wanted to “avoid heavy-handed legislation which could stifle innovation” in relation to developing AI.
The EU is drawing up new rules on how AI can be used in Europe, with companies that violate them facing fines of up to €30m.
The Standard has contacted OpenAI for comment.
