OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has issued a stark warning regarding the privacy of conversations with ChatGPT. In a recent podcast interview, Altman emphasized that, unlike discussions with licensed professionals such as therapists, doctors, or lawyers, interactions with ChatGPT do not benefit from legal confidentiality protections. This means that personal information shared with the AI could potentially be accessed or disclosed in legal proceedings.

Altman highlighted that many users, particularly younger individuals, are increasingly turning to ChatGPT for emotional support and personal advice. However, he cautioned that relying on AI for such sensitive matters is risky due to the lack of established privacy frameworks. Currently, OpenAI may retain user conversations for model training and abuse monitoring, and deleted chats are removed after 30 days unless required for legal or security reasons.

The warning comes amid growing concerns about data privacy in AI interactions. Altman called for the development of new privacy standards tailored to artificial intelligence to better protect users. Until such measures are in place, users are advised to exercise caution and avoid sharing deeply personal information with AI chatbots.