How to Protect Your Privacy When Using AI Chatbots
What happens to the things you type into an AI assistant? A practical checklist for keeping personal and work data safe.
People tell AI assistants things they wouldn't post anywhere else — health worries, money problems, work documents. Most major providers take security seriously, but how your conversations are stored and used varies by service and by settings. A few minutes of setup gives you much more control.
What never to paste into a chatbot
- Passwords, PINs, one-time codes or security answers.
- Full card numbers, bank details or national ID / Social Security / National Insurance numbers.
- Confidential work material your employer hasn't approved for AI tools.
- Other people's private information without their permission.
If you need help with a document that contains sensitive details, replace them with placeholders like [CLIENT NAME] or [ACCOUNT NO] first.
Five settings to check today
- Training on your data: many services let you choose whether your chats can be used to improve their models. Find this in privacy or data settings and pick what you're comfortable with.
- Chat history and memory: see what's saved, delete old conversations, and review any "memory" features that remember details about you.
- Temporary or incognito chats: use these for one-off sensitive questions where available.
- Connected apps: review which email, drive or calendar accounts are linked and remove any you don't use.
- Two-factor authentication: your AI account may hold a lot of personal context — protect it like your email.
Using AI at work
Check your company's AI policy before using a personal account for work tasks. Many employers provide business or enterprise versions with stronger data protections. When in doubt, ask your IT team which tools are approved.
Watch out for fake AI apps
App stores and browser extension marketplaces contain look-alike "AI" apps that harvest data or push subscriptions. Download assistants only from the official developer, check the publisher name, and be wary of extensions that ask to read all your web pages.
Know your rights
If you're in the UK or EU, data protection law gives you rights to access and delete personal data a company holds about you. Several US states have similar consumer privacy laws. Most AI providers explain how to make these requests in their privacy policy.
