Microsoft will release a professional version of ChatGPT for companies that don’t want to share trade secrets. Companies will also have to pay more for more data protection.
According to The Information, later this year Microsoft will release a version of ChatGPT for companies that handle sensitive information and are bound by stricter privacy regulations, including banks and hospitals. ChatGPT in this offer runs on a dedicated server that users don’t have to share with anyone. As a result, the cha history is not used to train the model and cannot be accidentally shared with other companies sharing the server.
This is Microsoft’s response to a fear that many companies are feeling today. Amazon and Samsung have previously criticized employees for sharing secret codes with ChatGPT. There are also large companies that severely restrict or even ban the use of ChatGPT for these reasons. With a private version of the chatbot, businesses can rest assured that their secrets stay within the walls.
To reserve a piece of Microsoft’s data centers for themselves, companies have to put a lot more on the table. The Information claims that this privacy-friendly ChatGPT can cost up to 10 times more than the current version. You are now paying $20 per month for a ChatGPT Plus account without VAT. This has not yet been confirmed by Microsoft.
Compete with OpenAI
Notably, OpenAI previously announced that it would release a business version of ChatGPT, also with more privacy controls. Basically, the many billions that OpenAI had allowed Microsoft to release and sell the company’s technologies under its own umbrella. Microsoft is already doing this with Bing Chat. It now looks as if Microsoft would compete directly with the adopted daughter.
ChatGPT has taken the world by storm in record time, but privacy concerns have surfaced just as quickly. The popular tool was even briefly banned in Italy for violating GDPR legislation. With some concessions, ChatGPT is back on board, although OpenAI needs to take additional privacy measures to silence any criticism.