Using AI safely also means understanding what it keeps. This lesson keeps your information yours.
What to know. When you chat with an AI tool, your messages are usually stored by the company, and by default may be used to train and improve the tool. That is not evil, but it means you should treat the chat box like a postcard, not a locked diary.
Simple privacy steps:
- Do not paste private documents with account numbers, medical details, or anything that identifies you (this repeats Rule 1 because it matters).
- Check the settings. Most tools have a privacy or data setting where you can turn off “use my chats to train,” and delete your chat history. Look for Settings, then Data controls or Privacy.
- Use “temporary” or “private” chat if the tool offers it, for a one-time question you do not want saved.
- Sign out on a shared or public computer when you finish.
A quick example. You want help understanding a medical bill. Instead of pasting the whole bill, you type just the confusing line and leave your name and account number out. You get the help you needed, and you shared nothing that identifies you.
What to do:
- Assume your chats may be stored, so keep private details out.
- Open Settings and look at the privacy and data controls once, so you know your options.
- Sign out on shared devices.