OpenAI Bans Chinese-Linked Accounts for AI Surveillance Requests

OpenAI has terminated ChatGPT accounts associated with Chinese government entities after discovering requests to develop social media surveillance tools. The company's latest threat report highlights violations of its national security policies, underscoring growing tensions in the U.S.-China tech race.

Additional accounts using Chinese language prompts were closed for leveraging ChatGPT in phishing and malware operations, including attempts to automate tasks via China's DeepSeek system. The Microsoft-backed firm has disrupted over 40 malicious networks since initiating public threat reporting in 2023.

While confirming the prevention of harmful requests, OpenAI noted no evidence of threat actors gaining novel offensive capabilities through its models. The incident occurs as ChatGPT now serves 800 million weekly users, reflecting AI's expanding role in global digital infrastructure.