Wed Feb 05 08:19:41 UTC 2025: ## India’s Finance Ministry Bans AI Tools Over Data Security Concerns
**NEW DELHI, February 5, 2025** – The Indian Union Finance Ministry has issued an internal advisory prohibiting its employees from using AI tools like ChatGPT and DeepSeek for official work. The ban, citing concerns over the confidentiality of government data and documents, comes ahead of a visit by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
The advisory, dated January 29th, explicitly states that the use of AI tools on government computers poses unacceptable risks to data security. Three Finance Ministry officials confirmed the authenticity of the advisory. While the ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment, the news follows similar restrictions imposed by countries like Australia and Italy over data security concerns related to AI tools.
The timing of the ban is notable, coinciding with OpenAI’s ongoing copyright infringement battle with major Indian media outlets. OpenAI has argued in court that its servers are not located in India and therefore, Indian courts lack jurisdiction. It remains unclear whether other Indian ministries have issued similar directives.
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