ChatGPT gets a private mode for secret AI chats. Here’s how to use it

By Alan Truly April 25, 2023

OpenAI just launched a new feature that makes it possible to disable your chat history when using ChatGPT, allowing you to keep your conversations more private.

Previously, every new chat would appear in a sidebar to the left, making it easy for anyone nearby to get a quick summary of how you’ve been using the AI for fun, schoolwork, or productivity. This can prove problematic when you’re discussing something you want to keep secret.

I tested ChatGPT's privacy option to disable history — Image used with permission by copyright holder

A perfect example is when you ask ChatGPT for help with gift ideas, an excellent use for OpenAI’s chatbot. If the recipient likes to dig for clues, they won’t be hard to find if a ChatGPT window is left open in your browser.

I tested this new privacy feature by disabling chat history, then asking a somewhat shocking question about faking a Windsor knot for a necktie. The option to disable history is in settings under Data Controls.

OpenAI also recently added an export option in the Data Controls section, another nod to privacy and personal control of your data. Disabling chat history and exporting your data are features that are available to both free users and subscribers.

When I clicked the big green button at the left to reenable chat history again, my embarrassing conversation that revealed my lack of knot skills was nowhere to be seen. What a relief!

OpenAI notes that unsaved chats won’t be used to train its AI models; however, they will be retained for 30 days. OpenAI claims that it will only review these chats when needed, to check for abuse. After 30 days, unsaved chats are permanently deleted.

That means your chats aren’t entirely private, so you need to be aware that they might be read by OpenAI employees. This could be a concern for business use since proprietary information might accidentally be shared with ChatGPT.

OpenAI said it is working on a new ChatGPT Business subscription to give enterprise users and professionals more control over their data. There are already business-focused AIs such as JasperAI.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Computing Writer

Alan is a Computing Writer living in Nova Scotia, Canada. A tech-enthusiast since his youth, Alan stays current on what is…

Computing

How to use Google Gemini, the main challenger to ChatGPT

Google's Gemini AI chatbot has quickly become one of the major players in the generative AI space. Despite its rocky start, Gemini is one of the only true competitors to ChatGPT. Here's everything you need to know about it.
What is Google Gemini?
Google first introduced its AI endeavor as Bard in March 2023 in a free and experimental capacity. The chatbot was originally run on the LaMDA large language model (LLM).

In August 2023, it introduced Google Duet as an enterprise option featuring AI-inundated Workspace apps, including Gmail, Drive, Slides, Docs, and others.

Computing

GPTZero: how to use the ChatGPT detection tool

A MidJourney rendering of a student and his robot friend in front of a blackboard.

In terms of world-changing technologies, ChatGPT has truly made a massive impact on the way people think about writing and coding in the short time that it's been available. Being able to plug in a prompt and get out a stream of almost good enough text is a tempting proposition for many people who aren't confident in their writing skills or are looking to save time. However, this ability has come with a significant downside, particularly in education, where students are tempted to use ChatGPT for their own papers or exams. That prevents them from learning as much as they could, which has given teachers a whole new headache when it comes to detecting AI use.

Teachers and other users are now looking for ways to detect the use of ChatGPT in students' work, and many are turning to tools like GPTZero, a ChatGPT detection tool built by Princeton University student Edward Tian. The software is available to everyone, so if you want to try it out and see the chances that a particular piece of text was written using ChatGPT, here's how you can do that.
What is GPTZero?

Computing

Is ChatGPT safe? Here are the risks to consider before using it

A response from ChatGPT on an Android phone.

For those who have seen ChatGPT in action, you know just how amazing this generative AI tool can be. And if you haven’t seen ChatGPT do its thing, prepare to have your mind blown!

There’s no doubting the power and performance of OpenAI’s famous chatbot, but is ChatGPT actually safe to use? While tech leaders the world over are concerned over the evolutionary development of AI, these global concerns don’t necessarily translate to an individual user experience. With that being said, let’s take a closer look at ChatGPT to help you hone in on your comfort level.
Privacy and financial leaks
In at least one instance, chat history between users was mixed up. On March 20, 2023, ChatGPT creator OpenAI discovered a problem, and ChatGPT was down for several hours. Around that time, a few ChatGPT users saw the conversation history of other people instead of their own. Possibly more concerning was the news that payment-related information from ChatGPT-Plus subscribers might have leaked as well.