OpenAI rolls out 'incognito mode' on ChatGPT
OpenAI has announced the introduction of an "incognito mode" for its popular chatbot, ChatGPT. This new feature ensures that users' conversation history is not saved or utilized to enhance the bot's artificial intelligence capabilities. The company revealed this development on Tuesday, along with plans for a "ChatGPT Business" subscription that includes additional data controls.
Concerns have been mounting regarding the handling of user data by ChatGPT and similar chatbots, which rely on this data to train their AI models. Italy recently imposed a ban on ChatGPT due to potential privacy breaches, stating that OpenAI could reinstate the service if certain conditions were met, such as providing users with tools to manage their data processing. France and Spain have also initiated investigations into the service.
Privacy Compliance and User Control
Mira Murati, OpenAI's chief technology officer, assured Reuters that the company is in compliance with European privacy regulations and is actively engaging with regulators. The implementation of these new features is driven by a strategic initiative to empower users in controlling their data and privacy settings, placing them "in the driver's seat" of data collection processes.
Murati emphasized the company's commitment to prioritizing user privacy and ensuring that data usage aligns with user preferences. While user data has historically been instrumental in refining OpenAI's software and addressing biases, challenges remain that the company is actively addressing.
Key Features and Functionality
The latest product release enables users to disable "Chat History & Training" in their settings and offers the option to export their data. Nicholas Turley, OpenAI's product officer, likened this feature to the "incognito mode" found in web browsers. Despite this, the company will retain conversations for 30 days for abuse monitoring purposes before permanently deleting them.
In the near future, OpenAI will introduce the ChatGPT Business subscription, which will not utilize conversations for AI model training by default. This offering, tailored for businesses, is set to attract Microsoft Corp's existing clientele, given the tech giant's investment in OpenAI.
These updates underscore OpenAI's ongoing efforts to enhance user privacy, data control, and regulatory compliance within the realm of AI-powered chatbots, positioning ChatGPT as a more user-centric and privacy-conscious platform.
