Chinese Man Arrested for Using AI to Spread Fake News

Published On Sat May 13 2023
Chinese Man Arrested for Using AI to Spread Fake News

ChatGPT Gone Wrong? Chinese Police Arrests Man Who Allegedly Created Fake News Using AI

A man in China using the AI language model, ChatGPT, has been arrested for allegedly creating fake news regarding a train crash, reported on by Futurism. The fake news falsely claimed that nine individuals died due to a train accident on April 25. Several story versions were reportedly released on Baijihao, a news blog social network that Baidu, a prominent Chinese search engine, runs. The man was simply identified by his surname "Hong." He was specifically cited for "provoking trouble" and "picking quarrels." Gizmodo notes that this is a catch that is typically used against activists and dissidents.

The police officers presume that Hong may face charges that could run from five to ten years in prison, added Gizmodo.

According to Gizmodo, Hong allegedly bypassed the restrictions of Baijihao to post repeated content via several accounts and to let ChatGPT go through several trending stories to create several versions of the story. It was done to generate some 15,000 clicks.

A registered company that works with several outlets of blogs was reportedly owned by Hong, as reported by Gizmodo. These platforms are reportedly registered under Shenzhen, a major tech manufacturing and business hub across southern China.

The arrest made by the Chinese police is the first for violating the deep-fake regulations of the country, according to South China Morning Post. The new law, referred to as the "Administrative Provisions on Deep Synthesis for Internet Information Service," has taken effect since January.

According to this law, all content that is AI-generated must be labeled explicitly and have its actual source cited. It also requires consent for using any generative software to modify one's image or voice.

The law also lists roughly 1,300 sites that the government allows to use generative AI for content creation. It also indicates that all AI-generated content must adhere to the correct political stances and maintain the proper orientation of public opinion.

Gizmodo also added that, just last month, China released guidelines that restricted certain chatbots, including the famous ChatGPT, to help create an environment that is CCP-friendly surrounding generative AI.

As per WION report, Chinese firms are reportedly developing their own AI chatbots that align with the country's guidelines. The country's top digital regulator has cautioned before that AI advancements may make it harder for authorities to tell deep-fake and non-deep-fake content apart and may foster defamation and scams.

In conclusion, the arrest of the Chinese man, Hong, for using ChatGPT is a clear indication of the country's efforts in regulating AI-generated content and preventing the creation of fake news. The use of generative AI for content creation is highly regulated in China, and all AI-generated content must adhere to the correct political stances and maintain the proper orientation of public opinion.