The ban was quickly lifted after CNBC published its story. Microsoft reportedly removed the language in its advisory that it was blocking the chat app and design software Canva. A company spokesperson said the ban was a mistake and access was restored as soon as the error was realized. The spokesperson explained that they were testing endpoint control systems for large language models and accidentally turned them on for all employees. They encouraged the use of services like Bing Chat Enterprise and ChatGPT Enterprise, which offer greater privacy and security protections.
Key takeaways:
- Microsoft temporarily banned its employees from using ChatGPT due to security and data concerns, even blocking corporate devices from accessing the AI chatbot.
- Despite being OpenAI's biggest investor and using its AI-powered tools in its products, Microsoft referred to ChatGPT as a "third-party external service" and advised employees to exercise caution.
- The ban on ChatGPT was quickly lifted after CNBC published its story, with Microsoft stating the ban was a mistake and that it had inadvertently turned on endpoint control systems for all employees.
- Microsoft encourages its employees and customers to use services like Bing Chat Enterprise and ChatGPT Enterprise that come with greater levels of privacy and security protections.