Microsoft, the technology giant that has invested heavily in OpenAI, has recently been in the news for temporarily banning ChatGPT.
Microsoft’s decision to restrict access to ChatGPT has been a hot topic. Despite considerable investment in OpenAI, the company has temporarily banned ChatGPT for security and data reasons. Microsoft banned ChatGPT, despite having injected nearly $3 billion into its development, with a promise of a further $10 billion.
In an internal memo, Microsoft highlighted concerns about using a third-party service. It urged caution, despite OpenAI’s built-in safeguards.
What are the reasons behind this decision?
Microsoft, which has invested heavily in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has chosen to restrict access to this chatbot. The reason given? Security and data concerns. This is a surprising choice, since Microsoft has injected around 3 billion dollars in the development of ChatGPT. In addition, the company plans to invest a further 10 billion.
She justified this temporary ban by the potential risks associated with using a third-party external service. It also stressed the need for its employees to exercise extreme caution. This caution is reflected in an internal memo sent to Microsoft employees. It recalls the protections built into OpenAI, but stresses that the external nature of ChatGPT.
Restoring access to ChatGPT: a Microsoft error
However, Microsoft’s decision was short-lived. Shortly after announcing the ban, the firm restored access to ChatGPT, declaring that the ban was a mistake. According to a Microsoft spokesperson, this was a control systems test that was inadvertently activated for all employees. This explanation shows that even large companies can make mistakes in the management of their technological resources.
Despite this turnaround, the incident raises important questions about the approach taken by large technology companies. This concerns their internal use of artificial intelligence, especially when it comes from development partners. Microsoft’s caution in the use of ChatGPT reflects a certain mistrusteven towards technologies developed in partnership.