A man known only as “Hong” has been arrested in the Gansu district of China after allegedly using the ChatGPT service to generate fake news stories. Hong’s arrest came after an investigation into an unsubstantiated article relating to a train crash was discovered on a popular blogging site hosted by Chinese tech conglomerate Baidu. Cybersecurity specialists discovered that at least 20 accounts had simultaneously posted the fake news article, leading to Hong’s arrest.
China has some of the strictest laws in the world regarding the use of social media, and Hong was arrested for “using artificial intelligence technology to concoct false and untrue information,” running afoul of an ordinance against “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” which specifically covers spreading fake news and rumors on the internet. If charged, Hong faces up to five years in prison under the normal statute but could be sentenced to as many as 10 years if the courts view the offense as particularly egregious.
Although the ChatGPT service is currently banned in China, its use can be obfuscated by virtual private networks (VPNs). However, homegrown AI services, such as Alibaba’s ‘Tongyi Qianwen,’ which was recently announced as a generative AI model trained to answer questions in both English and Mandarin, have received the Chinese government’s blessing. It remains unclear whether Tongyi Qianwen will have the same creative abilities as ChatGPT.
Growing concern over the misuse of AI technology
The lack of robust generative AI models in China could potentially have a chilling effect on the nation’s tech scene, particularly in sectors such as fintech and cryptocurrency trading, where the use of ChatGPT and products built on OpenAI’s GPT API have exploded in popularity. It is likely that the Chinese government will continue to monitor the use of Artificial Intelligence technologies and crack down on those who use them to spread false information.
The incident also highlights the growing concern over the misuse of Artificial Intelligence technology. While Artificial Intelligence has enormous potential to transform a range of industries, it also poses significant risks. The ability to generate convincing fake news stories quickly and easily could have serious consequences for public trust in the media and government. As Artificial Intelligence continues to advance, it is crucial that we develop effective strategies to prevent its misuse and ensure that it is used for the public good.
