• Source:JND
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Union Finance Ministry has warned its employees against the use of AI tools, including ChatGPT and DeepSeek, for their official work citing confidentiality of data and crucial government documents, Reuters reported. The ministry released an advisory in this regard on January 29. 

The report attracted media attention on Tuesday, ahead of OpenAI chief Sam Altman's visit to India on Wednesday. "It has been determined that AI tools and AI apps (such as ChatGPT, DeepSeek etc.) in the office computers and devices pose risks for confidentiality of (government) data and documents," the advisory stated, as per the aforementioned news agency. However, it's unclear whether a similar advisory was issued for other ministries as well. 

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Three unidentified finance ministry officials told Reuters that the note was genuine and that it had been issued internally this week.

Notably, countries like Australia and Italy have also issued similar advisories citing threats to their security. Earlier this week, Taiwan categorically instructed its all government agencies to resist using the newly launched Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek. Taiwan’s digital ministry said that no official or confidential information should be used to query DeepSeek, given its Chinese origins. “It is a product that endangers national information security,” the ministry’s statement said. 

Sam Altman said Indian users have tripled and India would be one of the leaders in the AI revolution. “India is an incredibly important market for AI in general, for OpenAI in particular. It’s our second biggest market after the US. Users here have tripled in the last year. The innovation that’s happening, what people are building [in India], it’s really incredible. We’re excited to do much, much more here, and I think it’s (the Indian AI program) a great plan,” he said in a discussion with Union Minster Ashwini Vaishnaw.

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OpenAI is already embattled with Indian news agency ANI for alleged use of copyright content and a court case has been filed by the latter in this regard. The AI company, however, said Indian courts cannot hear lawsuits against it.