OpenAI does not allow users from China, including Hong Kong.
Hong Kong generally does not have a Great Firewall, so the only thing preventing Hong Kong users from using ChatGPT is Open AI's policy. They don't allow registration from Hong Kong phone numbers, from Hong Kong credit cards, etc.
I'd say it's been pretty deliberate.
Reason? Presumably in alignment with US government policies of trying to slow down China's development in AI, alongside with the chips bans etc etc.
Sounds plausible - this is in line with the modern trend to posture by sanctioninig innocent people.
Of course, the only demographic these restrictions can affect are casuals. Even I know how to cirumvent this; thinking that this could hinder a government agent - who surely have access to all the necessary infrastructure by default - is simply mental.
Now former board member was a policy hawk. One of big beliefs is that china is at no risk of keeping up with US companies, due to them not having the data.
I wouldn't be surprised if OpenAI blocking China is a result of them trying to prevent them from generating synthetic training sets.
Hong Kong generally does not have a Great Firewall, so the only thing preventing Hong Kong users from using ChatGPT is Open AI's policy. They don't allow registration from Hong Kong phone numbers, from Hong Kong credit cards, etc.
I'd say it's been pretty deliberate.
Reason? Presumably in alignment with US government policies of trying to slow down China's development in AI, alongside with the chips bans etc etc.