75% of Organizations Considering Banning ChatGPT -report

BlackBerry Limited’s new research, released on August 8, has unveiled that 75% of organizations across the globe are either in the process of implementing or contemplating bans on the usage of ChatGPT and similar Generative AI tools within their work settings. The study interviewed 2,000 IT leaders in Australia, Japan, France, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, the US, and the UK. Among these organizations, 61% view these actions as long-term or permanent solutions. 

Decisions to take such measures are largely influenced by concerns related to data security, privacy, and the standing of the company. Furthermore, a significant 83% expressed their worries that unsecured applications could potentially jeopardize the cybersecurity of their corporate IT structure. 

Even though many are considering bans, most also acknowledge that Generative AI applications can boost efficiency (55%), innovation (52%), and creativity (51%) in the workplace. Regarding using these tools for cybersecurity defense, a large majority (81%) still support the idea, indicating that IT leaders want to stay prepared and not let cybercriminals gain an advantage. 

“Banning Generative AI applications in the workplace can mean a wealth of potential business benefits are quashed. At BlackBerry, the pioneer of AI cybersecurity, we are innovating with enterprise-grade Generative AI, keeping a steady focus on value over hype, and are exercising caution with unsecured consumer Generative AI tools.”  BlackBerry’s Chief Technology Officer Shishir Singh stated.  “As platforms mature and regulations take effect, flexibility could be introduced into organizational policies. The key will be in having the right tools in place for visibility, monitoring and management of applications used in the workplace.”

Chief Information Officers (CIOs) and Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) find Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) crucial. UEM offers necessary controls to regulate which applications can access the corporate environment. This safeguards enterprise security and user privacy by segregating corporate data.

Generative AI tools, especially ChatGPT, have been experiencing an interesting journey. Some companies explore generative AI, for instance, Google with its ad business, and Roblox with its game creation process. On the other hand, some other companies are still cautious about the usage of generative AI tools. This year in March, Apple reportedly restricts ChatGPT-powered apps to 17+ on the App Store. Meta warns of rise in ChatGPT-related malware in a report, just a month after. And, very recently, Apple removed numerous ChatGPT-like apps from the China App Store due to upcoming regulations.