Samsung Electronics bans employees from using ChatGPT
Samsung Electronics, one of the biggest technology companies in South Korea, has banned its employees from using generative artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT after sensitive code was uploaded to the platform in April.
The company’s biggest division was notified about the new policy via a memo reviewed by Bloomberg News. The company believes that data transmitted to AI platforms such as Google Bard and Bing is stored on external servers. This makes it challenging to retrieve and delete and could end up being disclosed to other users, according to the document. A survey conducted by Samsung indicated that 65% of employees believe that such services pose a security risk.
The policy was put in place after Samsung engineers accidentally leaked internal source code by uploading it to ChatGPT, although it is unclear what the information comprised. Interest in generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT has been growing internally and externally at Samsung, but there are growing concerns about security risks presented by these platforms.
In February, some Wall Street banks, including JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, and Citigroup, banned or restricted its use, and Italy barred the use of ChatGPT over privacy fears, although it reversed its stance in recent days.
The new Samsung rules ban the use of generative AI systems on company-owned computers, tablets, and phones, as well as on its internal networks. They do not affect the company’s devices sold to consumers, such as Android smartphones and Windows laptops. Samsung recommends that employees who use ChatGPT and other tools on personal devices do not submit any company-related information or personal data that could reveal its intellectual property. Failing to adhere to these guidelines could result in an employee being fired.
The company is creating its own internal AI tools for translation and summarising documents and software development. It is also working on ways to block the uploading of sensitive company information onto external services. In the meantime, HQ is reviewing security measures to create a secure environment for safely using generative AI to enhance employees’ productivity and efficiency.
