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AIAAIC-0951

ChatGPT writes Hangzhou traffic disinformation

A Hangzhou, China, resident used ChatGPT to generate a rumour that the city government would lift its number plate driving restrictions, causing mass confusion and a police investigation. A fake press release, which resembled an announcement from Hangzhou city government, reportedly included three reasons for why the city is ending its policy, including that it had caused a 'public inconvenience.' I ts creator reputedly considered it amusing and shared it on a WeChat/Weixin group, from which it quickly spread across the city. A day later, a local radio station reported that the fake release had been made by a Hangzhou resident, who has since apologised. ChatGPT has been taken up enthusiastically by the Chinese people, despite the fact that OpenAI decided not to launch in China and the Chinese government has cracked down on the chatbot. System 🤖 ChatGPT Operator: Unclear/unknown Developer: OpenAI Country: China Sector: Multiple; Govt - transport Purpose: Provide information, communicate Technology: Chatbot; Generative AI; Machine learning Issue: Mis/disinformation

Date it happened
2023-02-01
Organisation involved
OpenAI
Product, system or model
ChatGPT
Where this came from
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Attribution

This incident was imported from AIAAIC and is used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Our additions to it — the structured fields, the translation, the checks against other reports — are published under the same licence.

This is a record of what was reported, not a finding that anyone broke the law. If it names your organisation and you believe it is wrong, the corrections process is free and open to everyone.