Microsoft Planning Privacy-Focused Version of ChatGPT as Apple AI Efforts Flounder

Microsoft is planning to launch a privacy-focused version of ChatGPT amid Apple's apparent lack of grip on emerging AI technologies, The Information reports.

Apple vs Microsoft feature
Microsoft's Azure cloud server unit plans to offer a version of ChatGPT that runs on dedicated cloud servers where the data is kept separate from that of other customers later this quarter. Data on this isolated server will not communicate with the main ChatGPT system to preserve privacy. The service could cost as much as 10 times more than what customers currently pay to use ChatGPT.

The move seeks to appeal to businesses, such as banks, financial services, and healthcare institutions, who have avoided adopting ChatGPT out of fear that their employees could inadvertently give the chatbot sensitive proprietary information. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today reported that Samsung has banned employee use of generative AI utilities like ChatGPT after the discovery that staff had uploaded sensitive source code to the platform. The company is said to be concerned that data transmitted to artificial intelligence platforms including Bing and Google Bard could end up being disclosed to other users.

OpenAI has already sold Morgan Stanley a private ChatGPT service that does not involve Microsoft. The bank's wealth management division is already using the service to allow employees to ask questions and analyze content in thousands of the bank's market research documents.

Microsoft salespeople are said to already be fielding inquiries from organizations about the forthcoming product. Many large customers, including banks, have existing contracts with Azure, which could prove advantageous in persuading them Microsoft will manage their data securely.

Last week, it emerged that Siri and Apple's AI efforts have been severely hamstrung by organizational dysfunction and a lack of ambition. Many Apple employees purportedly left the company because it was too slow to make decisions or too conservative in its approach to new AI technologies, including the large-language models that underpin chatbots like ChatGPT.

Microsoft's latest move seemingly leapfrogs Apple to offer a privacy-focused AI chatbot in a ringfenced environment. Apple's uncompromising stance on privacy and insistence on a high level of control over its products and services has reportedly created considerable challenges for enhancing ‌‌Siri‌ and the company's investment in AI technologies‌.

Apple has pushed for an increasing number of ‌Siri‌'s functions to be performed on-device and the company apparently prefers ‌its responses to be pre-written by a team of around 20 writers, rather than AI-generated, to maximize privacy and control. This has seemingly left the company out of the AI chatbot race, allowing Microsoft to flaunt Apple's preferred privacy credentials in the AI arena.

Top Rated Comments

contacos Avatar
12 months ago
I am starting to worry that I am getting old and follow into the steps of my parents. Loosing the plot without realising it ... ?

First there was crypto currency - never understood it
Then there was NFT - never understood it
Now there is ChatGPT - hardly understand it, but mostly since I do not feel like I want to get involved either. Seems like one of those things that the media tries really hard to make you believe that you NEED it

You will find me on Instagram - remembering RealPlayer and AIM, wondering if things like Limewire or Kazaa still exist today
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr. Dee Avatar
12 months ago
Could people stop bad mouthing Microsoft regarding privacy? Remember, Apple makes Google search its default search engine in Safari. Also, which of the lesser evil would you rather choose? Also remember, 89% of computers run on Windows and the vast majority are in the Enterprise. If you go to a bank to do any transaction, you are least likely to find a Mac or Linux computer. Obviously businesses have a lot of confidence in Microsoft software and technologies to trust them with their data. If you work in a company and even use Apple devices, 9 times out of 10 it’s gonna be managed by Azure using MDM policies.

Let’s just stop trying to save face and admit Apple sucks at AI and services like Search.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Red Oak Avatar
12 months ago
Let’s be clear - Microsoft bought themselves a seat at the table with their investment in OpenAI. They do not have any inside expertise in AI or speech assistants. Does anyone remember Cortana?

They are simply using OpenAI APIs to integrate that service across various customer touch-points (e.g. Bing). Everyone is acting like Microsoft themselves did something dramatically innovative
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
icanhazmac Avatar
12 months ago
Microsoft & Privacy in the same sentence is almost as funny as Google & Privacy!

Edit: For everyone butt hurt by my comment:

https://www.zdnet.com/article/a-professor-says-edge-is-the-worst-for-privacy-microsoft-isnt-happy/

https://www.techtimes.com/articles/290840/20230426/microsoft-edge-sends-data-bing-visited-website-raising-privacy-issues.htm

https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2019/08/28/microsoft-confirms-windows-10-privacy-investigation-with-a-4-billion-sting/?sh=301ccbee7b1e

https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/1/21244058/google-meet-microsoft-teams-webex-personal-data-collection-privacy-policy-concerns

https://techgenix.com/microsoft-365-ban-in-germany/

I could go on but it seems unnecessary.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
canadianspeculator Avatar
12 months ago

I am starting to worry that I am getting old and follow into the steps of my parents. Loosing the plot without realising it ... ?

First there was crypto currency - never understood it
Then there was NFT - never understood it
Now there is ChatGPT - hardly understand it, but mostly since I do not feel like I want to get involved either. Seems like one of those things that the media tries really hard to make you believe that you NEED it

You will find me on Instagram - remembering RealPlayer and AIM, wondering if things like Limewire or Kazaa still exist today
I very much agree. For months when I log into twitter I've been told I'm weeks away from being replaced by an AI bot. Yet every time I try to use Chat GPT to improve my workflow, it is completely unable to assist. Incorrect dates, redundant sentences, and sources that don't even exist being cited. And it doesn't seem like anybody has a credible path to making it better, given that training information is likely to only become more walled off! I don't think Chat GPT will replace history professors any time soon :)
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
12 months ago

Let’s be clear - Microsoft bought themselves a seat at the table with their investment in OpenAI. They do not have any inside expertise in AI or speech assistants. Does anyone remember Cortana?

They are simply using OpenAI APIs to integrate that service across various customer touch-points (e.g. Bing). Everyone is acting like Microsoft themselves did something dramatically innovative
Quite similar to what Apple did by buying Siri.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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