Samsung Electronics, the multinational electronics corporation based in South Korea, has recently prohibited its employees’ use of AI-powered…
Samsung Electronics, the multinational electronics corporation based in South Korea, has recently prohibited its employees’ use of AI-powered chatbots, including ChatGPT, Bloomberg reports.
This move is quite significant, especially given the recent AI hype in the tech industry. It also makes Samsung the latest company to take steps to prevent the potential leak of sensitive internal information through such platforms, especially after the recent accidental leak at the company.
According to the report, an employee uploaded a sensitive internal source code on ChatGPT last month. Though the extent of the leak is unclear, Samsung is taking precautions to prevent sensitive information from being shared on such platforms.
Citing the Bloomberg report, Samsung said,
Interest in generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT has been growing internally and externally. While this interest focuses on the usefulness and efficiency of these platforms, there are also growing concerns about security risks presented by generative AI.
This is a growing concern since the data shared on AI chatbots like ChatGPT are usually stored on servers owned by the companies that operate the services, like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google, making it difficult to access the data or delete it forever.
This restriction only applies to company-related devices used by employees and does not impact the devices sold to consumers, such as Android smartphones and Windows laptops. However, employees who violate these policies could face serious consequences, including termination.
Emphasizing the implications in the memo, Samsung said,
We ask that you diligently adhere to our security guidelines 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.
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The fight against AI tools like ChatGPT
Samsung is not the only tech company that’s taking a hard line on its employees’ use of AI-powered chatbots like ChatGPT. In January, Amazon issued a strict warning to its workers about sharing sensitive data with these chatbots in the workplace. Amazon took this action after discovering some examples of ChatGPT responses that allegedly resembled internal Amazon data, as reported by Business Insider.
In February, JP Morgan Chase jumped on the trend of clamping down on using ChatGPT among employees. Although no specific reasons were given, it was in accordance with certain limitations on third-party software due to compliance concerns and regulatory risks that come with sharing sensitive financial information.
While some major banks have joined in on the action, it’s not just the financial industry concerned about the rapidly growing AI industry. Even big tech gurus, who have been at the forefront of the global tech industry, are now participating in discussions about controlling the potentially negative consequences of AI’s rapid development in recent months.”
Future plans for Samsung in the new AI world
Samsung is taking proactive steps to curb using AI-powered tools in the workplace. In addition to banning the use of ChatGPT and similar services, the company is looking to develop its own internal tools for document translation and summarization and software development.
To further protect sensitive company information, Samsung is also exploring ways to prevent uploading such data to external services. This move highlights the increasing concerns about data privacy and security in the age of AI.
HQ is reviewing security measures to create a secure environment for safely using generative AI to enhance employees’ productivity and efficiency…However, until these measures are prepared, we are temporarily restricting the use of generative AI, the memo said.
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