Does ChatGPT Save Data?

Does ChatGPT Save Data? The short answer is yes. However, there are specifics and you have options when it comes to modifying how the data itself is processed and saved. Read on to understand everything you need to know about how ChatGPT saves and uses your data.

Does ChatGPT Save Data

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is a tool created by OpenAI. It was released on November 30, 2022 and is used by millions of people to assist them with various tasks. Privacy and security are important concerns for users, especially in work-related contexts. Understanding how OpenAI processes your data is crucial as it can influence your decision to use ChatGPT or not.

The data that ChatGPT processes includes everything you provide, including the entire conversation with the chatbot.

Does ChatGPT Save Data? A Detailed Answer

ChatGPT indeed saves your data, which is used in training the model. If any abuse is detected, the information can be reviewed by a human engineer at OpenAI.

What can you do about ChatGPT saving your data?

Well, you have a few options. One option is to not worry about it and leave it as it is. It is highly unlikely that the data will be used to snoop on the questions you ask or for any personal analysis. It is solely used by OpenAI to improve the chatbot’s responses.

However, if you are very privacy-oriented or your job requires strict data protection, OpenAI offers a feature that allows you to disable the training of the chatbot with your data. Enabling this option means that ChatGPT will not save your data, except for a 30-day period during which it can be reviewed by a human. Generally, if someone reviews this info manually it will be to monitor for abuse. After that, it will be completely deleted from the system.

Additionally, enabling this option will prevent the chatbot from being trained on your data.

How To Disable the ChatGPT Chat History So It Doesn’t Save Data

1. Go to the ChatGPT page and click on the three dots next to your name at the bottom left.
2. Select “Settings” to open the settings window within the chat page.
3. Navigate to the “Data controls” subsection.
4. Toggle off the “Chat history &Training” option to limit data storage and usage.
5. Below the option, you will find detailed information about what you are disabling and the associated policy. Visual steps below.

Visual Display On How To Disable ChatGPT Saving Data

What happens when I stop ChatGPT from saving my data?

If you follow the above steps and disable chat history, your chats will not be used for training ChatGPT. They will also no longer be visible to you after you close the specific tab you opened the new conversation in. The chats will still remain in the OPENAI system backend for manual review for abuse monitoring for 30 days, and after that they will be fully removed from there as well.

Can someone view my chats even if I have asked ChatGPT to stop saving my conversations?

Theoretically, yes. The chats can be reviewed manually by someone for 30 days even if history is disabled. As per the information provided by the company, the people who can view your info are a limited number of employees of the company and specialized third party contractors who are subject to confidentiality agreements, and can view the chats solely to investigate and verify suspected abuse.

Does stopping ChatGPT from saving data sync across web and mobile devices?

No, it does not. Make sure to enable the feature separately on each device / browser that you use ChatGPT on.

Does it matter if I have ChatGPT plus when it comes to ChatGPT saving data?

No, the policy of OpenAI and the options that you have are the same for both the free and premium(plus) version.

Can I disable ChatGPT history for specific conversations only?

No, this is a setting that is global for the browser / application you’re using ChatGPT from. It will apply to all new conversations.

What happens when I disable ChatGPT history?

Your new conversations will not be shown on the sidebar anymore, so you cannot access them later.

Is there a way for me to keep my ChatGPT history, but stop the Chatbot from being trained on my data?

Yes, you can do this by sending them a request through this form: User Content Opt Out Request

When you do that, the chatbot will not be trained using any chats that you have with it anymore.

Is there a way to stop ChatGPT from saving data and using it for training purposes without manually requesting it through the above form, but also keeping my local chat history?

At this point, no. You can either disable chat history fully, or request from OpenAi that you’re opted out from training the model. OpenAI have confirmed that they are working on a new ChatGPT Business subscription which will give you this option, but I didn’t manage to find any ETA. 

Summary: Does ChatGPT really save data?

In conclusion, ChatGPT does save user data for training purposes and monitoring abuse. There is no way for you to fully stop OpenAI from saving that data. Even if you disable Chat History (make sure you do it manually on each device / browser you’re using ChatGPT), the data will still be stored for 30 days for possible manual abuse check. Having that in mind, I would definitely recommend that you do not use it with any confidential information or sharing private data of your own. If you are really looking for a fully private option, I would advise to check some of the LLM chatbots that can be installed locally. Stay tuned since I am planning on writing some guidelines on this in the upcoming weeks.  

I have tried to answer any questions that may pop up, but feel free to comment if something is unclear and you need further help understanding the policies.

References:

Data Controls FAQ from OpenAI