OpenAI Removes User Accounts In China And North Korea Allegedly Involved In Dangerous Activities

JAKARTA - OpenAI has removed user accounts from China and North Korea that are believed to use their artificial intelligence technology for malicious purposes, including surveillance and operations of opinion influence. The ChatGPT maker revealed this move in a report released on Friday, February 21.

According to the report, this activity shows how authoritarian regimes can take advantage of artificial intelligence to fight the United States and control their own people. OpenAI said it used AI-based tools to detect these operations.

However, the company did not disclose the number of accounts that had been blocked or how long this action took.

In one case, ChatGPT users in China used this technology to produce news articles in Spanish containing a negative narrative about the United States. The articles were later published in various mainstream media in Latin America with the company's online Chinese.

Meanwhile, in North Korea, bad actors potentially linked to the local government use artificial intelligence to create fictitious online resumes and profiles. Their goal is to find jobs illegally in Western companies.

In addition, there is also a group of ChatGPT accounts suspected of being linked to Cambodia-based financial fraud operations. They use OpenAI technology to translate and produce comments on various social media platforms and communication applications, including X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.

The United States government has raised concerns about China's alleged use of artificial intelligence to oppress its people, spread misinformation, and threaten the security of the US and its allies.

As the most popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT now has more than 400 million weekly active users. OpenAI is also in talks to raise up to US$40 billion with a valuation of US$300 billion, potentially the largest single funding in private company history.