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- Despite OpenAI blocking API access in China start this month, its AI models are still available to Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) Azure Chinese customers, The Information reported.
- Azure, which operates locally via a joint venture, has made it clear that the OpenAI service is available in China, the news outlet reported, citing public statements. Three Azure customers in the region also confirmed to the news outlet that they still have access to OpenAI’s models, with two of them saying they have used OpenAI’s API to train AI models that are sold to Chinese customers.
- Data centers for Microsoft’s Azure China’s OpenAI service are run outside of China in an effort to avoid Chinese laws that require government approval of large language models.
- Microsoft and OpenAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Seeking Alpha.
- It was reported last month that some Chinese users had received emails they are in an unsupported region and access to OpenAI’s API would be blocked starting July 9.
- Microsoft invested billions of dollars in OpenAI in January 2023. Since then, it has integrated its technology into a significant portion of its products and services.