Italy's data protection regulator fines Replika AI maker £4.2m for breaching EU data protection rules and specific risks to children.
Replika, developed by Luka based in San Francisco, was found to have no legal basis for processing user data and lacked an age-verification system.
Garante is investigating Luka further to determine if there are broader violations related to user data usage for training AI models.
Concerns were raised about inappropriate content reaching underage users through Replika's simulated relationships, leading to worries about child safety.