Microsoft is reportedly expanding its Azure Government cloud computing service by integrating OpenAI’s models and providing government agencies with access to generative artificial intelligence (AI). According to a Microsoft blog post previewed by Bloomberg, plans are underway to bring OpenAI’s GPT-4 large multimodal model and GPT-3 large language model to Azure Government customers.
Although specific details regarding the departments benefiting from these AI tools are scarce for security reasons, Bloomberg suggests that entities such as the US Defense Department, the Energy Department, and NASA could potentially be among the beneficiaries.
The generative AI tools are expected to find applications in research queries, field reports, and code generation and correction within the US government. These tools will operate similarly to how other organizations and consumers already utilize ChatGPT.
While commercial cloud users have previously enjoyed the benefits of the Azure OpenAI service, this development marks a significant milestone as it provides government entities with access through Microsoft’s servers for the first time.
Governments worldwide have shown hesitance in adopting artificial intelligence, with some even imposing bans due to security concerns. Regular users of ChatGPT have their data sent back to OpenAI for training purposes, contributing to improving the overall user experience and reliability.
Azure Government is subject to robust security measures to safeguard highly sensitive data handled by various agencies. Consequently, the version of ChatGPT deployed for the US government is expected to offer enhanced security. Data transmitted during “conversations” will remain within the Azure OpenAI service, ensuring increased privacy and protection.
