OpenAI blocks Chinese users from using ChatGPT services
What's the story
OpenAI, a leading artificial intelligence company, has announced its intention to restrict users in China from accessing its ChatGPT service. Despite the service not being officially available in China, it has been accessed by users and developers through the company's API. The company has started notifying Chinese users via email about the impending blockage set to commence on July 9.
Potential impact
OpenAI's decision could impact Chinese startups
An OpenAI spokesperson stated, "We are taking additional steps to block API traffic from regions where we do not support access to OpenAI's services." This move could potentially affect several Chinese startups that have built applications using OpenAI's large language models. Currently, the company offers its services in over 160 countries, but China is not included in this list.
Policy enforcement
OpenAI enforces policy for unsupported countries
According to OpenAI's guidelines, users attempting to access the company's products in unsupported countries could face blocking or suspension. This is the first time that the company has explicitly enforced this policy. The reason behind this decision remains unclear, but it comes after OpenAI disclosed last month that it had halted covert influence operations, including one originating from China.