OpenAI, Microsoft, Google Limit AI Chatbot Access in Hong Kong Amid Privacy Concerns

OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google have reportedly restricted access to their AI chatbots in Hong Kong, where pro-democracy protestors have faced censorship and crackdowns from the Chinese Communist Party in recent years. While none of the companies have given a formal explanation for the move, industry experts suggest that it is likely due to concerns about China’s national security law, which allows the government to censor content and suppress dissent in Hong Kong. The authoritarian regime has a history of censoring online discussion and restricting the use of non-approved social media platforms. In response, some Hong Kong residents have turned to virtual private networks (VPNs) to access the chatbot services. The report also notes that Chinese regulators have instructed major tech companies in the country, including Tencent Holdings and Ant Group, not to support ChatGPT due to worries about uncensored content. Despite OpenAI’s restriction of access to ChatGPT, the company’s CEO Sam Altman, called for more collaboration between the US and China on AI development during a virtual appearance at a conference in Beijing.