Feb 13 (Reuters) - Rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) such as Microsoft-backed OpenAI's ChatGPT are complicating governments' efforts to agree laws governing the use of the technology.

Here are the latest steps national and international governing bodies are taking to regulate AI tools:

AUSTRALIA

* Planning regulations

The Australian government said on Jan. 17 it would set up an advisory body to mitigate the risks of AI, and that it planned to work with industry bodies to introduce a range of guidelines, including encouraging technology companies to label and watermark content generated by AI.

BRITAIN

* Planning regulations

Leading AI developers agreed in November, at the first global AI Safety Summit in Britain, to work with governments to test new frontier models before they are released to help manage the risks of the developing technology.

More than 25 countries present at the summit, including the U.S. and China, as well as the EU, signed a "Bletchley Declaration" to work together and establish a common approach on oversight.

Britain said at the summit it would triple to 300 million pounds ($364 million) its funding for the "AI Research Resource", comprising two supercomputers which will support research into making advanced AI models safe, a week after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had said Britain would set up the world's first AI safety institute.

Britain's data watchdog said in October it had issued Snap Inc's Snapchat with a preliminary enforcement notice over a possible failure to properly assess the privacy risks of its generative AI chatbot to users, particularly children.

CHINA

* Implemented temporary regulations

Wu Zhaohui, China's vice minister of science and technology, told the opening session of the AI Safety Summit in Britain in November that Beijing was ready to increase collaboration on AI safety to help build an international "governance framework".

China published proposed security requirements for firms offering services powered by generative AI in October, including a blacklist of sources that cannot be used to train AI models.

The country issued a set of temporary measures in August, requiring service providers to submit security assessments and receive clearance before releasing mass-market AI products.

EUROPEAN UNION

* Planning regulations

Two key groups of EU lawmakers ratified a provisional agreement on AI rules on Feb. 13 ahead of a vote by the European Parliament in April that will pave the way for the world's first legislation on the technology.

EU countries on Feb. 2 endorsed a political deal reached in December on the AI Act, which aims to better control governments' use of AI in biometric surveillance and how to regulate AI systems.

The accord requires foundation models and general purpose AI systems to comply with transparency obligations before they are put on the market. These include drawing up technical documentation, complying with EU copyright law and disseminating detailed summaries about the content used for training.

FRANCE

* Investigating possible breaches

France's privacy watchdog said in April it was investigating complaints about ChatGPT.

G7

* Seeking input on regulations

The G7 countries agreed in October to an 11-point code of conduct for firms developing advanced AI systems, which "aims to promote safe, secure, and trustworthy AI worldwide".

ITALY

* Investigating possible breaches

Italy's data protection authority plans to review AI platforms and hire experts in the field, a top official said in May. ChatGPT was temporarily banned in Italy in March 2023, but it was made available again in April.

JAPAN

* Planning regulations

Japan's privacy watchdog has warned OpenAI not to collect sensitive data without people's permission.

POLAND

* Investigating possible breaches

Poland's Personal Data Protection Office said in September it was investigating OpenAI over a complaint that ChatGPT breaks EU data protection laws.

SPAIN

* Investigating possible breaches

Spain's data protection agency in April launched a preliminary investigation into potential data breaches by ChatGPT.

UNITED NATIONS

* Planning regulations

The U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres in October announced the creation of a 39-member advisory body, composed of tech company executives, government officials and academics, to address issues in the international governance of AI.

UNITED STATES

* Seeking input on regulations

The U.S., Britain and more than a dozen other countries in November unveiled a 20-page non-binding agreement carrying general recommendations on AI such as monitoring systems for abuse, protecting data from tampering and vetting software suppliers.

The U.S. will launch an AI safety institute to evaluate known and emerging risks of so-called "frontier" AI models, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said on Nov. 1 during the AI Safety Summit in Britain.

President Joe Biden issued an executive order on Oct. 30 to require developers of AI systems that pose risks to U.S. national security, the economy, public health or safety to share the results of safety tests with the government.

VATICAN CITY

* Seeking input on regulations

Pope Francis called in December for a legally binding international treaty to regulate AI, saying algorithms must not be allowed to replace human values and warning of a "technological dictatorship" threatening human existence. (Compiled by Alessandro Parodi and Amir Orusov in Gdansk; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise, William Maclean, Milla Nissi)