NEW DELHI: India’s finance ministry has issued an advisory to its employees, urging them not to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT and DeepSeek for official work due to data security and confidentiality concerns.
The directive, dated January 29, warns that using such AI platforms on office devices could compromise sensitive government information. This move reflects the growing anxiety surrounding data privacy and the potential risks AI tools pose to confidential documents.
The internal advisory comes amidst a global trend of heightened scrutiny over AI technologies. Countries like Australia and Italy have already imposed similar restrictions on DeepSeek, known for its advanced language processing capabilities.
Meanwhile, OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is embroiled in a copyright lawsuit filed by major media houses in India. These ongoing concerns are part of a broader conversation about how AI platforms handle sensitive data and the associated privacy risks.
The advisory surfaced just ahead of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s visit to India, where he is expected to discuss AI safety, regulations, and innovation with India’s IT minister. The timing of the visit highlights India’s increasing focus on data security and AI regulations, reflecting a global concern about the potential misuse of information entered into AI platforms.
Although the finance ministry’s directive has been confirmed as legitimate, it is still unclear whether other ministries in India will follow suit. However, given the country’s growing emphasis on data privacy and AI safety, it is likely that additional ministries will implement similar restrictions in the near future.