OpenAI cuts off China from ChatGPT and AI services – WION
OpenAI has not elaborated on the reason behind this block. However, this move by OpenAI follows rising tensions between Washington and Beijing, with the US imposing restrictions on the export of advanced semiconductors vital for AI technology training
Chinese developers will no longer be able to rely on Artificial Intelligence market leader ChatGPT. Starting July 9, OpenAI will block users in China from accessing its tools and services.
While OpenAI’s ChatGPT was already restricted by China’s firewall, developers could previously use VPNs to leverage OpenAI’s tools for fine-tuning their AI applications and conducting research.
“We are taking additional steps to block API traffic from regions where we do not support access to OpenAI’s services,” an OpenAI spokesperson told Bloomberg last month.
This latest block, originating from OpenAI rather than the Chinese government, is poised to have substantial effects on the AI landscape in China.
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OpenAI, as per the Guardian, has not elaborated on the reason behind this block. However, this move by OpenAI follows rising tensions between Washington and Beijing, with the US imposing restrictions on the export of advanced semiconductors vital for AI technology training.
The Chinese AI community has expressed “significant concern” over OpenAI’s decision, Xiaohu Zhu, founder of the Shanghai-based Centre for Safe AGI, told the Guardian.
He said that “the decision raises questions about equitable access to AI technologies globally.”
However, the move also presents opportunities for Chinese AI firms like SenseTime, Baidu, Zhipu AI, and Tencent Cloud.
As per the report, following chatter about the block, these companies started offering free tokens and migration services to attract former OpenAI users.
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While Baidu is offering 50m free tokens as well as free migration services, ZhipuAI, a local company, offered 150m free tokens for its model. Tencent Cloud meanwhile is giving away 100m free tokens to new users till the end of this month (July).
“Competitors are offering migration pathways for former OpenAI users, seeing this as an opportunity to expand their user base,” explained Zhu.
OpenAI’s exit may help accelerate the development of Chinese AI companies, which are already in tight competition with US counterparts. China hosts around 130 large language models, accounting for 40 per cent of the global total. While US companies lead in generative AI innovation, Chinese firms have been embroiled in a price war that might affect their profit margins and innovation capacity.
Nonetheless, experts like Winston Ma of New York University suggest that this situation comes “at a time when Chinese big tech players are closing on performance gap with OpenAI and are offering these Chinese LLM models essentially free.”
“OpenAI’s departure is a short-term shock to the China market, but it may provide a long-term opportunity for Chinese domestic LLM models to be put to the real test,” he added.
(With inputs from agencies)
