Private preview of Datazone Azure openai realtime GPT for GDPR

Question

I am working on a project where we are using Azure OpenAI Realtime GPT-4o for voice to voice conversation in Sweden Central Region. But problem is that Realtime APIs are only available as Global Standard which means data is saved in Sweden Central but can be processed globally which makes it partially complaint with GDPR. Now if I have to use this model in Europe then it should be GDPR complaint otherwise it's of no use. I think MS product team should be working on deploying it as Datazone so that data and processing happens only in Europe.

How can I get the private preview of data zone model. This is really important for me otherwise all the efforts/money will be wasted.

Answer 1

Hi

You're facing a legitimate challenge with Azure OpenAI's Realtime GPT-4o service in Sweden Central Region regarding GDPR compliance. The current Global Standard setup (where data is stored in Sweden but can be processed globally) creates compliance concerns for European deployments.

Here are steps you can take to potentially gain access to a GDPR-compliant solution:

Apply for private preview access:

• Contact your Microsoft account representative directly
  • Submit a request through the Azure OpenAI Service portal
    • Look for any Microsoft Forms or applications specifically for private previews
    Document your business requirements:

    - Clearly articulate your GDPR compliance requirements
    
       - Explain the impact on your project if compliance cannot be achieved
    
          - Quantify the business value and use case
    
          **Explore alternative interim solutions**:
    
             - Consider using non-realtime GPT-4 models that are already available in Data Residency zones
    
                - Implement additional data protection measures in your architecture
    
                   - Investigate if using Azure confidential computing might help address some concerns
    
                   **Connect with the community**:
    
                      - Join Azure OpenAI community forums to see if others have similar needs
    
                         - Participate in Microsoft feedback channels to emphasize the importance of this feature
    

Microsoft is typically responsive to enterprise customer needs, especially for GDPR compliance. I recommend reaching out through multiple channels to increase your chances of getting access to a private preview when available.