National Security Ministry warns about data risks from 'AI relay stations'

China's National Security Ministry issued a warning about 'AI relay stations,' third-party services that connect users to overseas AI models. These platforms lack clear ownership and oversight, putting user data at serious risk. Experts say data uploaded to these stations is essentially unprotected. Some stations even sell user data for model training or use low-quality models posing as high-end ones, producing unreliable results. Worse, some have hidden backdoors that can install malware, remotely control devices, and steal sensitive info. Without proper data export permits, they may also send data overseas, risking personal privacy, business secrets, and state secrets.