After Samsung, Apple has joined the growing list of conglomerates that have asked their employees to stop using generative AI-based chatbots—including OpenAI’s ChatGPT—in order to prevent the confidential information about internal company matters from leaking out.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Apple has stated that generative AI cannot be used for work purposes. They have even prohibited the use of other AI-based platforms like Github Copilot, coincidentally owned by Microsoft—which allows users to automate code writing.
By default, ChatGPT stores users’ chats—which are later used to train AI models or inspected by the company to ensure compliance with policies. However, OpenAI has recently enabled users to disable chat history, although it still retains data from the last 30 days before deletion.
Similar to other companies, Apple may have concerns about employees using generative AI for daily tasks, such as code writing, due to the advanced capabilities of chatbots like ChatGPT. In such scenarios, there is a risk of accidental leaks of internal company information to the outside world. Consequently, it is likely that Apple is imposing restrictions on the use of generative AI for its employees for this reason.
In related news, earlier this month, Samsung reportedly implemented a ban on the use of generative AI—including ChatGPT, on office devices such as computers, tablets, and phones. This ban also extends to personal devices connected to internal company networks, as stated by Bloomberg. However, in Samsung’s case, internal data had already been leaked to ChatGPT.
