OpenAI announces a major ChatGPT privacy update; here’s what you should know

OpenAI’s ChatGPT has quickly gone on to become the golden boy of artificial intelligence over the course of a year. The AI chatbot today has introduced a bunch of cool upgrades, such as modifying DALL-E images with a tap to a Read Aloud feature. However, ChatGPT took to the headlines after introducing its ‘human-like’ Memory feature, which has the ability to recollect a conversation if opted for it. 

This, however, raised several discussions, questioning the data privacy of those using it. That said, OpenAI has now announced a key update that will allow a user to keep their chat history private and prevent ChatGPT from using the data for training. Here’s how this will work: 

ChatGPT privacy update: What's there to know?

After being introduced in 2022, ChatGPT had no privacy features. In fact, there was no option to prevent the data within your prompts from being utilised to train the LLMs that powered ChatGPT. But even after months of pressure from regulators, users could only either allow their data to be used for research or disagree and have the history turned off. 

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This time around, however, OpenAI has made an upgrade to ChatGPT which will allow you to keep your chat history to yourself. The update comes after an announcement by the company on X (formerly Twitter), and it will be available for both premium and free users of the app. 

ChatGPT privacy update: How will it help?

The new update will allow you to reference back to your chat history without worrying about the company using your data for training purposes. If you earlier had opted out of this feature, you will now be able to choose if you want to share your data and keep your chat history, regardless. Here’s how to go about it. 

Within your ChatGPT smartphone or laptop app, tap on your profile picture and then Settings. Here, you will find an option that says Data Controls. Tap on it. Lastly, you will see a toggle button that reads “Improve the model for everyone.” Turn it off, and you’re all set! 

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While access to our data does help improve the AI chatbot, it is only natural to not want to share everything from the app. Although there’s no option currently that gives a user more granular control, here’s hoping they make their way to the app’s interface sometime in the near future.