Big tech giant Apple has restricted the company's use of ChatGPT, a popular artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, over concerns its sensitive data could be compromised.
An internal document sent to Apple employees prohibits the use of Microsoft-backed ChatGPT and similar AI tools as the company develops its own AI technology, according to a Wall Street Journal report. According to the document, iPhone developers are concerned about employees using the programs and revealing confidential company information.
It also cited limitations on GitHub's artificial intelligence tool Copilot, an application owned by Microsoft that automatically writes software code. The internal ban comes after the iOS version of the ChatGPT app debuted on the Apple App Store on May 18.
The new app is currently available to iPhone and iPad users in the US, but plans to expand to more countries "in the coming weeks," with an Android version coming "soon," too. In addition to Apple, other major companies have restricted ChatGPT's internal use. On May 2, Samsung sent a memo to employees prohibiting the use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT.
In Samsung's case, the policy follows incidents in which Samsung employees uploaded "sensitive code" to the platform.
Samsung told employees who use such apps on personal devices not to upload any company information or they could face "disciplinary action up to and including termination."
In addition to Samsung and Apple, companies such as JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs and Citigroup have also banned the internal use of generative artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT. Many of the companies that have banned employees from using AI chatbo ts are also creating applications of their own. Back in early May, Apple CEO Time Cook said the company planned to "weave" artificial intelligence into its products.
