South Korean tech conglomerate Samsung confirmed this week that it has banned the use of artificial intelligence technology, such as ChatGPT, on its professional devices. 

The company informed employees about the temporary restriction in a memo late last month. Apparently, the company became aware of employee misuse of the technology and moved quickly to ban it.

According to reports, some employees uploaded sensitive Samsung data to the chatbot in an effort to fix problematic aspects of the source code.

Large companies like Samsung are worried that uploading company data to the software could lead to security breaches, especially since ChatGPT is a foreign-owned technology. The company warned employees against using the chatbot outside of work and inputting personal information.

According to an internal Samsung survey, 65% of respondents were concerned about safety risks when using generative AI. 

The ban comes during a tumultuous moment for AI technology. Microsoft’s ChatGPT has exploded in popularity this year and has drawn proportional criticism. Other giant tech companies outside of Samsung, like Amazon and JPMorgan, have warned their employees about the consequences of sharing proprietary information like code with the chatbot. Several tech executives, including Elon Musk, have called for a six-month pause on AI development.

Despite the perceived risk of AI, many companies still hope to integrate it into their overall business. Chatbot technology can be used to help employees organize data and get quick and easy answers to complicated questions. Companies have been using AI technology to develop new code and programs to speed up larger projects. 

While Samsung categorized the ban as temporary, it remains unclear when the ban will be lifted.

• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.