OpenAI may not be available in China, but Microsoft Azure China may offer an unexpected loophole
Despite OpenAI’s recent announcement that it would exit the Chinese market by blocking users in countries outside of officially supported markets, many Chinese customers may still be able to use the GPT-powered AI chatbot.
While Alibaba, Baidu and Tencent rush to fill the gap left by California-based OpenAI, fans of ChatGPT can still use a similar service through a loophole created by Microsoft.
People with access to Azure cloud services can still use GPT-powered generative AI functionality in China, even though the startup responsible for GPT, OpenAI, has formally left the country.
Chinese customers can still use Microsoft’s ChatGPT
Although ChatGPT was blocked in China, developers appreciated the productivity benefits and circumvented restrictions by using VPNs. However, OpenAIβs abrupt decision to enforce the restriction, effective July 9, left many developers and businesses that relied on the technology scrambling to find a suitable alternative. Subsequently, Chinese LLM developers launched their own aggressive campaigns to attract ex-ChatGPT users.
Those already familiar with how ChatGPT works can still use it, however, but through a Microsoft-enabled loophole. Microsoft Azure China, which is operated as a joint venture with domestic tech company 21Vianet, will continue to offer OpenAI models in the country.
Microsoft China even encouraged developers to switch to Azure OpenAI through its official WeChat account (via Tom’s Hardware).
Three Azure China customers also confirmed that The information that they continue to have uninterrupted access to OpenAI’s models through Microsoft’s platform.
While Chinese customers currently still have access, a bill is currently being considered that would simplify the process of blocking US companies from selling AI technology to China. If passed, it could completely block Microsoft from distributing OpenAI models to customers in China, giving its share of the market back to competing Chinese companies.