Canada's privacy watchdog has initiated an investigation into X, the social media platform owned by tech magnate Elon Musk, to determine if its utilization of Canadians' personal data for training artificial intelligence (AI) models violated privacy regulations.
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada announced on Thursday that the investigation was prompted by a complaint received.
"The investigation will assess the platform's adherence to federal privacy laws regarding the gathering, utilization, and sharing of Canadians' personal data for training AI models," stated the office without providing additional details about the complaint.
Brian Masse, a lawmaker from the opposition New Democratic Party, disclosed that he had urged the privacy commissioner to investigate X's practices.
Masse expressed satisfaction with the investigation, emphasizing the importance of transparency in a climate where algorithms could potentially be manipulated to disseminate misinformation.
X did not promptly respond to a request for comment.
The investigation into X unfolds against a backdrop of heightened tensions between Canada and the United States concerning trade, border security, and a digital services tax on American technology companies.
President Donald Trump reiterated his commitment to imposing 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports starting March 4 due to concerns over drug trafficking into the U.S.
Elon Musk, also known as the CEO of Tesla, is the founder of xAI, an artificial intelligence startup.
After Musk's acquisition of Twitter in 2022 and its rebranding as X, the social media platform introduced xAI's Grok chatbot, described as an AI assistant aiding users in tasks like problem-solving, Q&A, and brainstorming.
xAI recently launched the latest chatbot iteration, exclusively available to Premium+ subscribers on X.
Generative AI models like Grok necessitate extensive data for training and advancement.
Canada's privacy legislation outlines regulations for private-sector entities regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information, emphasizing aspects such as consent, disclosure, retention, and security.