OpenAI is preparing to restrict access to its API to stop people in China, Russia, and Iran from using its chatbot tech. The company already blocks users in "unsupported countries" from accessing ChatGPT and its API, but this week, OpenAI sent emails mentioning stronger enforcement.

OpenAI, a leading entity in generative AI, has recently notified its users in China that they would be blocked from accessing its tools and services starting July 9. “We are taking additional steps to block API traffic from regions where we do not support access to OpenAI’s services,” an OpenAI spokesperson told Bloomberg.

Although OpenAI’s services are available in more than 160 countries, China isn’t one of them. According to the company’s guidelines, users trying to access the company’s products in unsupported countries could be blocked or suspended — although the company hasn’t explicitly done so until now.