China’s Ministry of Science and Technology announced on Friday that it was interested in integrating ChatGPT-style technology into Chinese culture and the economy and that it recognised the technology's potential.

The chief of the ministry's high-tech division, Chen Jiachang, praised the technology's natural language processing skills at a news briefing and stated that it "has the potential to be implemented in numerous sectors and disciplines."

At the same conference, Minister Wang Zhigang also stated that while all technical advancements have "two sides," it is important to avoid placing undue ethical restrictions on innovations like ChatGPT.

ChatGPT, OpenAI’s artificial intelligence tool, has shocked the internet since its public debut in November, 2022.

By learning vast amounts of datas, ChatGpt can answer users’ question in a human-like manner. ChatGpt amassed more than a million users within days and triggering hot debates about the capabilities of AI in areas such as education, computer science. 

ChatGPT have arose the interest of Chinese internet users, who like people elsewhere shared screenshots of surprising conversations with the AI bot on local social media.

However, Chinese phone numbers aren't allowed to sign up for ChatGPT, The San Francisco-based OpenAI, the parent company of the service told Reuters that "conditions in certain countries make it difficult or impossible" to operate.

The "2022 Beijing Artificial Intelligence Industry Development White Paper" was published by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology on February 13. It makes the case that by 2023, the artificial intelligence industry should have a fully established foundation, and that leading businesses should be assisted in developing large models similar to ChatGPT.

Around a dozen ChatGPT-like pilot programs are being developed in China, including ones by Jack Ma's Alibaba and the Beijing-based Internet company Baidu.