OpenAI Shuts Down Accounts Linked to Chinese Surveillance, Raises Concerns Over AI Misuse
February 21, 2025
OpenAI has taken decisive action against several accounts linked to a Chinese surveillance initiative aimed at monitoring anti-China protests in Western nations.
In response to these threats, OpenAI is actively implementing measures to prevent the misuse of its models, particularly in surveillance and influence operations.
OpenAI believes these accounts were misusing its AI technology for surveillance and to influence public opinion, both against U.S. interests and within China.
The U.S. government has voiced concerns regarding China's use of AI for oppression and misinformation, emphasizing the potential threats to national security.
While AI technology can facilitate malicious activities, experts emphasize its potential for detecting and preventing such behaviors.
As OpenAI continues to expand, it is negotiating to raise up to $40 billion, potentially valuing the company at $300 billion, reflecting its significant influence in the AI sector.
OpenAI's actions underscore its commitment to ethical technology use, especially in politically sensitive contexts.
The report stresses the need for increased scrutiny and regulation of AI technologies to prevent misuse by state actors.
This incident highlights the increasing intersection of technology and geopolitics, raising significant concerns about human rights and digital privacy.
This operation, dubbed 'Peer Review', was identified after researchers discovered that a developer used OpenAI's technology to debug the surveillance tool's code.
OpenAI's findings also revealed a separate campaign from Cambodia that exploited AI for fraudulent schemes, particularly targeting men through online dating.
The surveillance system is reportedly based on Meta's Llama model, which was made open-source, allowing it to be adapted for monitoring real-time social media data.
Summary based on 17 sources
Get a daily email with more Tech stories
Sources

Times Of India • Feb 22, 2025
OpenAI has banned some users from using ChatGPT in China and North Korea; says using AI to ...
Economic Times • Feb 21, 2025
Conspiracy against US? OpenAI-ChatGPT removes China, North Korea users for malicious surveillance
The Indian Express • Feb 22, 2025
OpenAI removes users in China, North Korea suspected of malicious activities