Global Impact: ChatGPT spurs an AI arms race, with China slow out of the blocks

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When the Microsoft-backed start-up OpenAI launched ChatGPT at the end of November, there was a swift outpouring of excitement among users, even in China, where the product was not officially available.

But the response in China was also accompanied by an undercurrent of frustration, as people began to wonder why China did not beat the US to making a chatbot capable of such feats as generating essays and creative writing in various styles, writing code, answering research questions and summarising content. Some were quick to blame a risk-averse environment that prioritises monetisation above innovation.

When third-party applications on WeChat allowed people in China to experience ChatGPT without circumvention tools like virtual private networks, the country’s largest social media network sprang into action – by banning the services.

Authorities have also warned about how the technology can be used to commit crimes and spread rumours. Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang went as far as suggesting ChatGPT presents an “ethical” problem for China, noting that it can give “an answer based on values, not facts”.