chatgpt china ban的进一步展开说明

Chinese Regulators Clamp Down on Access to ChatGPT

Chinese regulators have taken measures to restrict access to ChatGPT, as Chinese tech firms and universities continue to develop domestic artificial intelligence (AI) bots. ChatGPT, a popular discussion bot created by US-based OpenAI, is not officially available in China due to the government’s comprehensive firewall and strict internet censorship. However, many users had been accessing it through virtual private networks (VPNs), and some third-party developers had created programs that allowed limited access to the service.

Recently, these programs have disappeared from WeChat accounts, and reports indicate that major tech companies including Tencent and Ant Group have been ordered to cut access to them. State media have also highlighted the potential dangers of ChatGPT, stating that it could be a tool for the US to “spread false information.” For example, an article in China Daily claimed that when asked about Xinjiang, ChatGPT provided answers that aligned with the political propaganda of the US government regarding the alleged “genocide” in the region.

Given the Chinese government’s denial of mass human rights violations in Xinjiang, the crackdown on access to ChatGPT is not surprising. Searches for ChatGPT on Chinese platforms no longer yield any results, and workaround programs have been disabled or suspended for violating relevant laws and regulations.

Implications for Chinese AI Development

Dr. Ilaria Carrozza, a senior researcher at the Peace Research Institute Oslo, explains that OpenAI’s restrictions on Chinese registration had already posed barriers, but the service was not entirely blocked. The model on which ChatGPT is trained is based on open information from Western countries, which could potentially cause issues for the Chinese government as people might use it to raise questions about sensitive topics such as human rights abuses.

Chinese social and state media have seen a surge of interest in ChatGPT, fueling the ongoing competition in China’s AI industry to develop domestic chatbots. However, domestic AI chatbots are yet to match the capabilities of ChatGPT. For example, Baidu’s AI chatbot, Plato, has drawn unfavorable comparisons to ChatGPT and faced criticism on social media for its failure to perform adequately.

Challenges for Chinese AI Developers

According to an article from the Jiemian business news outlet, Chinese AI developers face two major challenges: limited training materials and intense competition within the technology industry. The article, as translated by ChinaTalk, criticizes Baidu’s Plato chatbot, stating that it appears to have been trained on the low-quality content found in the Weibo comment section.

With ChatGPT no longer accessible for Chinese consumers and no equivalent domestic replacement available, there is an unmet demand in China. However, the AI industry in China has been navigating heavy regulatory interventions for the past two years, creating a dilemma for companies. They want to assure investors and consumers of their progress compared to other global tech companies, but they also need to avoid upsetting the government and potential regulatory consequences.

Chinese AI Chatbot Developments

Amidst the regulatory challenges, several Chinese firms and universities, including Baidu, Alibaba, JD.com, and Tencent, have announced plans to develop AI chatbots. Baidu’s chatbot, Ernie Bot, is considered to be the most advanced among them and is set to launch in March. Baidu CEO Robin Li stated that the company has spent years developing large language models based on billions of daily search engine requests, making Ernie Bot a state-of-the-art model that understands and incorporates China’s language and culture.

Despite the current setbacks, Chinese AI developers remain determined to compete globally and overcome the obstacles they face. However, striking a balance between innovation and compliance with government regulations proves to be a complex challenge for the industry.

chatgpt china ban的常见问答Q&A