OpenAI introduces "incognito mode" for ChatGPT to prioritize user privacy
OpenAI, a San Francisco-based startup, announced the rollout of an "incognito mode" for its popular chatbot ChatGPT, which ensures the privacy of users by not saving conversations or using them to improve its artificial intelligence. The new update also includes a "ChatGPT Business" subscription that will provide additional data controls to users.
The announcement comes amid growing concerns about how chatbots such as ChatGPT manage user data, which is commonly used to train AI models. In March, Italy banned ChatGPT over possible privacy violations, prompting investigations in France and Spain as well.
OpenAI's chief technology officer, Mira Murati, assured reporters that the company is compliant with European privacy law and is working to address regulatory concerns. "We'll be moving more and more in this direction of prioritizing user privacy," she said, with the goal that "it’s completely eyes off and the models are super aligned: they do the things that you want to do".
The latest update enables users to switch off "Chat History & Training" in their settings and export their data. Conversations will be retained for only 30 days to monitor for potential abuse before being permanently deleted. The introduction of a ChatGPT Business subscription in the coming months will not use conversations for AI model training by default.
It is worth noting that Microsoft Corp, which has invested in OpenAI, already offers ChatGPT to businesses. According to Murati, the service appeals to the cloud provider's existing customers.
