Is ChatGPT safe? What you need to know before sharing your data

Is ChatGPT safe to use?

Yes, ChatGPT is generally safe to use. The developer OpenAI employs strong security measures to protect you and the platform from external threats. This security builds trust — a report on ChatGPT usage in the US indicates that 67% of respondents trust the platform with their personal data.

However, safety involves more than just preventing hacks. Your risk level depends on how you use the chatbot. While casual questions are generally safe, using the tool to process work documents requires extra caution. Since the platform learns from user inputs, sharing sensitive data can lead to unintended exposure.

Is ChatGPT safe for confidential information?

No, the standard version of ChatGPT isn’t safe for confidential information. OpenAI keeps conversation history by default. It also uses your inputs to train future models.

This practice puts trade secrets, proprietary code, or private documents at risk. Unless you opt out of data training, the chatbot adds this data to its knowledge base, which means it could reveal your sensitive information to other users in future responses.

PRO TIP: To understand exactly what data OpenAI collects and how it’s stored, read our guide on ChatGPT privacy.

Is ChatGPT safe to use at work?

Yes, ChatGPT is safe to use at work, but only if you use the right version and settings. The tool is great for brainstorming or drafting non-sensitive emails. However, pasting customer data or internal strategies into the public interface creates security risks.

OpenAI offers ChatGPT Enterprise, Edu, and Business plans. These versions comply with SOC 2 standards and don’t use your data for training. Specialized AI platforms for enterprises like nexos.ai also provide safer environments for business data.

Is ChatGPT safe to use for education?

Yes, ChatGPT is safe to use for education, but it requires oversight. The tool works well as a tutor or study aid. However, the main risks are academic, specifically plagiarism and the potential erosion of critical thinking skills.

Generative AI can also present false information as facts. Always verify the answers to ensure accuracy. Treat the tool as a study guide, not a final authority.

Finally, institutions must manage data privacy. Schools can use the ChatGPT Edu plan to protect student data and manage access.

Is ChatGPT safe for kids?

No, ChatGPT is not safe for children. According to OpenAI’s usage policies, the service is not meant for children under 13, and teens aged 13 to 18 must have parental consent.

Parents should supervise their teens and use available parental controls to ensure responsible use. Despite built-in safety filters, the AI can still generate content that may not be suitable for younger audiences.

But what is ChatGPT, and how does it work?

To understand why these ChatGPT security concerns exist, it helps to know how the tool actually operates. ChatGPT is a large language model (LLM) developed by OpenAI. It uses artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning to process your prompts and generate text that sounds remarkably human.

However, the tool doesn’t “think” like a human. Instead, it analyzes your input and predicts the most likely next word based on statistical patterns found in a massive dataset. It doesn’t “know” facts — it simply mimics human language.

This process powers AI search engines, but it also creates a data trail. By default, the system stores user data to refine its future models. This data collection creates an online privacy loop that users must navigate to stay safe.

What built-in features make ChatGPT safe to use?

OpenAI uses a multi-layered security system to keep the platform safe for its millions of users:

• Strict access controls. OpenAI limits internal data access to a select group of authorized employees. It also uses authentication protocols to prevent unauthorized individuals from breaking into user accounts.
• Data encryption. The platform protects your data using AES-256 encryption while it’s stored and TLS 1.2 or higher while it’s being sent, which ensures that even if someone intercepts your connection, the encryption keeps the data unreadable.
• Active threat monitoring. A dedicated security team monitors the system for suspicious behavior. This continuous oversight helps identify and stop potential security threats or unauthorized access attempts in real time.
• Content safety guardrails. The AI model is built with strict safety filters. It’s trained to automatically refuse requests that involve illegal acts, hate speech, violence, or the generation of malicious software.
• Regular security audits. To maintain high security standards, ChatGPT business products undergo frequent third-party penetration testing. The platform is also SOC 2 Type 2 compliant, which means that independent auditors regularly verify its security controls.
• Privacy law compliance. OpenAI supports compliance with major data protection laws, including the GDPR and CCPA, and offers a Data Processing Addendum for customers. The company also supports industry-specific requirements, such as HIPAA compliance for healthcare clients.
• Bug bounty program. OpenAI invites security researchers and ethical hackers to test its systems for vulnerabilities. Through this program, the company pays cash rewards for identified issues, which helps it fix bugs before malicious actors can exploit them.

What are the security risks of using ChatGPT?

There are several ChatGPT risks that users should be aware of before trusting the chatbot with their information:

• Data breaches and third-party risks. ChatGPT collects a wide array of sensitive data, including your IP address, account information, device details, and everything you type in the prompt box. Even if OpenAI’s own defenses hold, your information is not immune to external threats. For example, a November 2025 incident involving a third-party analytics provider compromised user details, even though OpenAI’s core systems remained secure.
• Data leaks. A data leak due to a bug in an open-source library in 2023 briefly exposed user chat histories, which proves that even secure systems aren’t immune to errors.
• Regulatory and compliance risks. For businesses, using the standard ChatGPT version may violate strict data laws like HIPAA because it doesn’t automatically sign Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) or guarantee local data residency without an enterprise plan.
• Accidental exposure due to human error. Often, the biggest security risk is the user. Because the chatbot feels distinctively conversational, people frequently overshare personally identifiable information (PII), forgetting that every input is recorded and stored in OpenAI's logs.
• Fake news and misinformation. ChatGPT is designed to sound convincing and authoritative — even if it knows very little about the subject. It can confidently present false information as facts, known as AI hallucinations. Without verification, these errors can degrade the quality of professional or academic work.
• Malicious fakes. The internet is full of fake ChatGPT apps and browser extensions. Criminals design these fake tools to spread malware. The only safe way to access the platform is through the official ChatGPT app or website.
• Network privacy. While your chat content is encrypted, your DNS queries typically are not, which means that your ISP or network administrator can see that you are accessing ChatGPT and when. In strict workplaces or restrictive regions, this visibility allows entities to monitor your usage habits or block access to the tool entirely.

PRO TIP: Consider using a VPN for ChatGPT Pro. Connecting through a virtual private network (VPN) masks your real IP address, which prevents OpenAI from logging your physical location or linking your activity to your home network.

How to use ChatGPT more safely

If you need the tool for work or personal matters, adhering to basic safety precautions can mitigate most ChatGPT security risks:

1. 1.Avoid third-party apps. Access the tool only through the official chatgpt.com website or the official mobile apps (verify the developer is OpenAI).
2. 2.Create a strong password. Create a long and complex account password and don’t reuse it across multiple sites. A password manager can help you store your credentials securely.
3. 3.Enable 2FA. Two-factor authentication (2FA) keeps your account safer by requiring both your password and a one-time code to log in.
4. 4.Adjust data controls. Go to “Settings” > “Data controls” and turn off “Improve the model for everyone.” You can also use the “Temporary chat” feature, which ensures your conversations are neither saved nor used for model training.
5. 5.Keep your sensitive data to yourself. Avoid typing passwords, login credentials, Social Security numbers, banking details, or confidential health data into the chat.
6. 6.Don’t click on suspicious links. Hackers may send you phishing emails mimicking OpenAI, or the AI chatbot itself might return you untrustworthy URLs. Always verify links before clicking. One way to check if a website is safe is to use a link checker.
7. 7.Verify information from other sources. ChatGPT is not infallible. Always fact-check critical information against reliable sources (not another AI search engine), and don’t use the AI for medical, legal, or financial advice.
8. 8.Regularly review and clear chat history. Periodically clear out old conversations or delete your entire chat history in the settings to minimize the amount of data stored on OpenAI’s servers.

PRO TIP: For more information on AI tool security, check our guide on DeepSeek safety.

What to do if you've shared sensitive information with ChatGPT

If you realize you’ve accidentally shared sensitive information with ChatGPT, check your settings first. If “Improve the model for everyone” was off, the risk is minimal — simply delete the conversation to initiate the deletion process from OpenAI’s servers.

However, if you had the training setting on, follow these steps:

1. 1.Stop sharing. Don’t type any further details into the active window.
2. 2.Opt out of model training. Go to “Settings” > “Data controls” and ensure “Improve the model for everyone” is turned off to prevent your future conversations from being used as training data.
3. 3.Identify the exposed data. Review the conversation to note exactly what personal data (passwords, PII, financial info) you exposed.
4. 4.Delete the specific chat. Locate the conversation in the sidebar and delete it. While OpenAI retains deleted chats for safety monitoring (typically 30 days), deleting the compromised chat removes it from your visible history and prevents easy access if your account is breached.
5. 5.Submit a removal request. Use the OpenAI Privacy Portal to request the removal of your personal data from future ChatGPT responses. You can do this even if you don’t have an account.
6. 6.Change compromised credentials. If you shared a password, consider it compromised. Change that password on the relevant service.
7. 7.Monitor your accounts. If you exposed financial details or PII (like a Social Security number), monitor your bank statements and credit reports for suspicious activity over the next few weeks.