Altman explained that if a court demands it, OpenAI may be required to share a user’s “most sensitive” personal information.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has warned that conversations with ChatGPT do not currently enjoy legal confidentiality.
Speaking with podcaster Theo Von, Altman noted that while many users treat ChatGPT like a therapist or life coach, the same legal protections do not apply.
“Right now, if you talk to a therapist or a lawyer or a doctor about those problems, there’s legal privilege for it… There’s doctor-patient confidentiality, there’s legal confidentiality,” Altman said. “We should have the same concept of privacy for your conversations with AI that we do with a therapist.”
Altman explained that if a court demands it, OpenAI may be required to share a user’s “most sensitive” personal information. He admitted the law hasn’t caught up with the rapid rise of AI tools like ChatGPT, adding, “No one had to think about that even a year ago.”
Von expressed discomfort with the lack of privacy. Altman agreed and said regulators must urgently address the issue. Many users are turning to ChatGPT for emotional support.