OpenAI Blocks Chinese Developers' Access

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Facts

  • US-based Chat GPT creator OpenAI on Tuesday began blocking Chinese developers from accessing its products and services.1
  • China's firewall had already blocked ChatGPT in the country, but developers were able to use virtual private networks (VPNs) to bypass the wall and use it to train their own generative AI large language models (LLMs).2
  • Due to the cost of building one from scratch, Chinese LLM developers — of which the government says there are 117 — have been allegedly repackaging OpenAI's technology and promoting it as their own.3
  • In response to the block, China's largest AI developers — including Tencent, Baidu, and Alibaba — have offered customers the ability to switch from OpenAI to their LLMs and cut the prices of their products.3
  • Another Chinese AI company, SenseTime, is offering 50M free digital tokens to customers who wish to transition from OpenAI to its products. It also announced it would send employees to help developers make the switch.2
  • Meanwhile, Microsoft, a financial backer of OpenAI, clarified that its Azure cloud computing services will not be part of the ban. This comes as the US government has restricted China's access to US cloud and advanced semiconductors.4

Sources: 1WION, 2Guardian, 3Thinkchina and 4PYMNTS.com.

Narratives

  • Anti-China narrative, as provided by Breaking Defense. This is an important move by OpenAI. If Washington allows Beijing to continue using and improving on American artificial intelligence technologies, China will win the AI arms race and not look back. The US must stop treating AI like a science project to be shared with friends before it's too late.
  • Pro-China narrative, as provided by Global Times. This US government-ordered ban by OpenAI won't stop China from thriving in this realm. China-based companies have already equaled or bested US companies in several areas of AI, and other companies are on the rise. By cutting its AI companies off from China, the US is missing out on diplomatic and economic opportunities.

Predictions