⚖️ Ireland investigating X

Author

Liam Gill
April 19, 2025

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Ireland Opens Investigation into X’s AI Training Practices

Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) has launched a formal investigation into X (formerly Twitter) over its use of European user data to train Grok, an AI chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s xAI. The probe centers on whether X had a valid legal basis—under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)—to use publicly accessible posts from European users for AI model training. This investigation follows a history of aggressive enforcement by the DPC, which has previously levied billions in fines against companies like Meta and TikTok for similar data privacy breaches.

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Legal Risk Grows for AI Startups Relying on Public User Data

This case underscores a growing risk for AI startups that rely on scraping or reusing public user data—especially within the EU. While some companies assume that public content is “fair game” for training purposes, GDPR mandates a lawful basis for processing any personal data, including usernames, metadata, or post content that can be linked back to individuals. Startups building AI models must weigh the compliance cost of data acquisition strategies, particularly if operating in—or serving users from—Europe. Failure to do so could result in fines up to 4% of global annual revenue.

Compliance Is Not Optional—Even for Public Data

For startups developing generative AI tools or leveraging social media content, this investigation is a wake-up call: publicly available data is not exempt from regulation. Founders should proactively assess:

  • Whether their data sources include personal data covered by GDPR or similar laws

  • What consent or legal basis (e.g., legitimate interest, public interest) justifies their data use

  • Whether they’re exposed to enforcement by EU regulators like the DPC
    Given that Elon Musk’s X is now under scrutiny, smaller startups won’t get a pass. Building compliant, documented data practices from day one is no longer a luxury—it’s table stakes for scaling AI in regulated markets.

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