OpenAI has announced that it has banned several users from China and North Korea from using its ChatGPT platform. The decision comes after the company discovered that these users were exploiting the AI technology for malicious purposes, including surveillance and influence operations.
According to OpenAI, the banned accounts were involved in activities that align with tactics often employed by authoritarian regimes to manipulate information both domestically and internationally. In one instance, users leveraged ChatGPT to generate news articles in Spanish that portrayed the United States negatively. These articles were later published in Latin American media under the byline of a Chinese company.
In another case, actors suspected of having ties to North Korea used AI-generated résumés and fabricated online profiles in an attempt to secure employment with Western companies. Additionally, OpenAI discovered accounts linked to a financial fraud operation in Cambodia that utilised its technology to create translations and generate comments across various social media and communication platforms.
The US government has expressed ongoing concerns regarding China’s use of artificial intelligence to suppress its own citizens, spread misinformation, and threaten the security of the United States and its allies. These recent findings by OpenAI reinforce fears that AI-powered tools could be weaponised to further geopolitical agendas.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT remains the world’s most widely used AI chatbot, with over 400 million weekly active users. The company is currently in discussions to raise up to $40 billion in new funding, potentially valuing it at $300 billion.
OpenAI has banned some users from using ChatGPT in China and North Korea; says using AI to … – The Times of India
