- Samsung restricts its employees from using so-called generative artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT after discovering abuses of them.
- The South Korean tech giant confirmed to CNBC on Tuesday that it is temporarily restricting the use of generative AI via its personal computers.
- Samsung told employees to take precautions when using ChatGPT and other products outside of work, and advised them not to enter personal or company-related information into the service.
Jung Sung Joon | Jung Sung Joon | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Samsung restricts its employees from using so-called generative artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT after discovering abuses of them.
The South Korean tech giant confirmed to CNBC on Tuesday that it is temporarily restricting the use of generative AI via its personal computers.
Employees of one of Samsung’s largest divisions were informed of the move in a memo at the end of April after there were instances of abuse of the technology.
Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that some staff members uploaded sensitive code to ChatGPT.
ChatGPT is a viral AI chatbot, trained on massive amounts of data, capable of generating responses to user queries. It is a type of so-called generative AI.
Samsung does not yet have a generative AI product of its own. ChatGPT was developed by Microsoft-backed US company OpenAI, but other generative AI products include Google’s Bard. Entering confidential company data into these foreign-owned services can be a concern for companies concerned about leaking sensitive information.
Samsung told employees to take precautions when using ChatGPT and other products outside of work, and advised them not to enter personal or company-related information into the service.
In a Samsung company-wide survey last month, 65% of respondents said they were concerned about security risks when using generative AI services.
Samsung isn’t the only company restricting the use of this technology. US investment bank JP Morgan reportedly restricted employees’ use of his ChatGPT earlier this year. Amazon also reportedly warned employees this year not to upload sensitive information, including code, to his ChatGPT.
Companies are evaluating how generative AI capabilities can be used in their business. ChatGPT helps engineers generate computer code, such as speeding up tasks. Software developers at Goldman Sachs have used generative AI to generate code.
Despite the latest restrictions, Samsung is exploring ways to safely use generative AI to boost employee productivity and efficiency.
