Finance Ministry Bans AI Chatbots on Government Devices Over Security Concerns

New Delhi, Feb 6 (KNN) Amid the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots, the Indian Finance Ministry has issued a directive urging its employees to strictly avoid using AI tools, such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek, on government computers and devices.

This decision, issued by the Ministry’s Department of Expenditure on January 29, stems from concerns about the confidentiality of sensitive government data.

The directive highlighted the risks posed by AI applications on office systems, warning that they could jeopardise the security of official documents.

It advised employees to refrain from using such tools, emphasising that the use of AI chatbots should be strictly prohibited in official capacities.

As AI tools continue to gain popularity worldwide, some countries have already taken similar steps to safeguard their data.

Notably, China has acted to limit the use of foundational models like DeepSeek due to privacy and data security concerns. This follows the growing recognition of AI's potential to access and process sensitive information.

Interestingly, the ban comes at a time when AI chatbots are booming in India. OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, revealed on his visit to India that the country is now the second-largest market for ChatGPT, with its user base having tripled in the past year.

Altman’s visit also coincides with the rise of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI model that has gained attention for being a cost-effective alternative to OpenAI’s models while offering comparable capabilities.

As the popularity of AI chatbots continues to surge, government institutions are faced with balancing innovation with protecting sensitive data from potential security threats.

(KNN Bureau)