Several Chinese tech companies, including Alibaba and Baidu, are developing their own versions of conversational AI chatbots similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. These companies are capitalizing on the recent interest in these technologies, which are expected to revolutionize internet searches by offering information through human-like conversations.
However, there are concerns about potential legal complications in China, where laws regarding data and privacy protection are still “ambiguous.” Experts also warn that these projects may not result in immediate revenue gains, as AI requires long-term investment. Despite these challenges, Chinese investors remain optimistic, but international investors seem to be dialing back their expectations, as demonstrated by the drop in Baidu’s shares. One Chinese company, 360 Security Technology, has acknowledged the gap between its investment and tech prowess compared to the latest version of ChatGPT.
The lack of availability of ChatGPT in China has led to merchants on Alibaba’s Taobao platform offering services that help people register OpenAI accounts for a small fee. However, developing a Chinese version of ChatGPT may pose legal issues, as the boundaries of laws regarding data and privacy protection are not yet clear. This raises questions about what information can be used to train the algorithm and how the bots use data from copyright-protected sources.
While some experts believe that the sudden interest in ChatGPT-style services by Chinese companies may not bring immediate changes to business performance, Chinese investors continue to invest in AI-related companies, including 360 Security Technology. However, international investors seem to be more cautious, as demonstrated by the drop in Baidu’s shares in Hong Kong.
Google’s recent glitch, in which its Bard bot provided inaccurate information during a demo video, has further highlighted the difficulties of putting chatbot technologies into practical use. This mistake resulted in a drop in Alphabet’s share price and wiped out $100 billion from its market value. 360 Security Technology also acknowledged the gap between its technology and ChatGPT, stating that its bot is only intended as an internal tool and is a generation behind the latest version of ChatGPT.
In conclusion, while Chinese tech companies are racing to develop their own versions of ChatGPT-style services, there are several challenges and uncertainties that they will face. Despite the optimism of Chinese investors, experts caution that these projects may not result in immediate revenue gains and require long-term investment in AI technology. The lack of clear laws in China regarding data and privacy protection, as well as the difficulties of putting chatbot technologies into practical use, are also factors that these companies will need to consider.
