According to reports on May 2, Samsung has prohibited the use of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools on its internal networks and company-owned devices because it believes that uploading sensitive data to these platforms poses a security risk. The regulation is described as a short term restriction while the company works to “create a secure environment” to allow the usage of generative AI technologies securely.
After learning that some of its employees had “leaked internal source code by uploading it to ChatGPT,” Samsung imposed this particular restriction. The report says, “We ask that you diligently adhere to our security guideline and failure to do so may result in a breach or compromise of company information resulting in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.”
On further updates to come, they said, “HQ is reviewing security measures to create a secure environment for safely using generative AI to enhance employees’ productivity and efficiency.” They added that, “Until these measures are prepared, we are temporarily restricting the use of generative AI.” The corporation has requested its employees to refrain from uploading confidential company data using their own devices in addition to prohibiting the usage of generative AI on company PCs, phones, and tablets.
The corporation claims in a FAQ that it examines user chats using ChatGPT to enhance its systems and make sure that it complies with its rules and security standards. Users are cautioned not to “share any sensitive information in your conversations” and are informed that any conversations might be used to train next ChatGPT versions.
OpenAI’s chatbot ChatGPT, which has gained enormous popularity as both an amusement pastime and a tool to assist with important tasks, is perhaps the largest risk element. To create email responses or summarise reports, users can utilise the system, although doing so may require entering sensitive data that OpenAI may have access to.
Different privacy issues are associated depending on how a user accesses ChatGPT and utilises the service. Conversations with the chatbot are not accessible to OpenAI’s support staff and are not used to train the business’s models if a company uses ChatGPT’s API. Although, this is not applicable to text entered into the default settings of the main web interface.
There are fears surrounding generative AI tools that sending confidential corporate data to external servers run by these service providers increases the likelihood that it would be made public and restricts Samsung’s ability to erase it later. The disclosure of Samsung’s policy follows after a malfunction in ChatGPT caused some conversation history and perhaps payment information to be momentarily made available to other users of the service.
Along with other banks like Bank of America and Citigroup, JP Morgan recently constrained the use of these tools due to complying issues. Due to the risks regarding cheating and false information, ChatGPT has been prohibited from schools in New York City, while the AI tool has also been temporarily banned in Italy due to data privacy and child safety issues.
Several industry leaders including Elon Musk have backed studies concerning the development of these tools. These global powers are yet to find a way to regulate the potential of AI and use it for the general good. Therefore, these coming months will be a crucial period to see the path the world has paved for AI tools.