The Privacy Perils of Generative AI: How Consumers Can Protect Themselves in the Age of ChatGPT, Gemini, and Beyond
Generative AI tools are rapidly becoming ubiquitous, offering users exciting new ways to create, communicate, and solve problems. However, the seductive ease of use comes at a cost: often overlooked privacy implications. From ChatGPT to Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Apple’s Intelligence, these increasingly powerful tools are collecting vast amounts of data, raising serious questions about how this information is used and stored. While many users are enthralled by the capabilities of these AI assistants, few are fully aware of the potential consequences for their privacy.
Key Takeaways:
- The rise of generative AI presents new privacy challenges. These tools are gathering massive amounts of user data, often without clear transparency about how it’s being handled.
- Understanding privacy policies is crucial. Consumers must carefully assess the privacy policies of each AI tool they use, looking specifically for details on data usage, retention, and deletion options.
- Sensitive data should be kept out of AI models. Inputting sensitive information like personal or confidential documents into AI models can pose significant risks as the model could potentially use this data for training purposes.
- Opt-out options are essential. Users should take advantage of any available opt-out options to limit data sharing, especially for training AI models.
- Short retention periods are key. When using AI for search purposes, set short retention periods and delete chats after use to minimize the risk of data breaches or use for model training.
Navigating the Privacy Labyrinth: A Guide for Consumers
As the landscape of AI tools evolves, it’s more critical than ever for consumers to understand the potential pitfalls and take proactive steps to protect their privacy. Here’s a comprehensive guide to navigating the privacy labyrinth of generative AI:
1. Ask the Right Questions Before You Sign Up
Before embracing a new AI tool, don’t just trust the hype. Dig deep into the privacy policies. Ask yourself critical questions:
- How is my information used?
- Can I opt out of data sharing?
- How long is my data retained?
- Can I delete my data?
- How easy is it to find and manage privacy settings?
If a company fails to provide clear, straightforward answers to these questions, it should raise immediate concerns. "A tool that cares about privacy is going to tell you," says Jodi Daniels, CEO and Privacy Consultant at Red Clover Advisors. "You can’t just assume the company is going to do the right thing."
2. Keep Sensitive Information Out of the AI Ecosystem
Andrew Frost Moroz, founder of Aloha Browser, urges caution when it comes to providing sensitive data to generative AI models. "You don’t really know how it could be used or possibly misused," he warns. This applies to both personal and work-related information.
Many corporations are grappling with the risks of employees using AI models for work-related tasks. There are significant concerns about who owns the intellectual property created by AI, and how the model’s training data is used. Companies are increasingly hesitant to allow employees to use generic AI tools for work, and instead are exploring the use of custom versions that keep sensitive information isolated from large language models.
Individuals should follow the same principle of caution. Avoid using AI for any purpose that involves non-public information. "If you’re using it to summarize an article from Wikipedia, that might not be an issue," says Frost Moroz. "But if you’re using it to summarize a personal legal document, for example, that’s not advisable."
3. Take Advantage of Existing Opt-Outs
Each generative AI tool offers its own set of privacy controls, including opt-out options. While these options may vary, it’s important to use them to protect your privacy.
For example, users can opt out of having their data used for training ChatGPT’s models, which would prevent new conversations from contributing to its development. Gemini users can set a retention period and delete specific data.
Jacob Hoffman-Andrews, a senior staff technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, emphasizes that "there’s no real upside for consumers to allow gen AI to train on their data," and that the potential risks are still being investigated. Unlike removing information from the web, untraining AI models is significantly more complex and challenging.
4. Opt In Only With Purposeful Intention
With AI tools becoming deeply integrated into everyday software, like Copilot for Microsoft 365, users may be tempted to simply accept the default settings without considering the implications.
Microsoft claims that it does not share consumer data with third parties without permission and avoids using user data to train Copilot or its AI features without consent. However, users can still choose to opt in, granting Microsoft access to their data to improve the functionality of these tools.
It’s essential for users to carefully weigh the potential benefits of opting in against the risks of losing control over their data. While opting in may enhance certain features, it also grants the AI tool access to a wider range of data, potentially leading to unforeseen consequences. "It’s important to understand that the trade-off is losing control of your data," says Daniels.
The good news is that Microsoft allows users to withdraw their consent at any time.
5. Minimize Risk with Short Retention Periods and Data Deletion
Even when using AI for simple tasks like search, it’s important to be mindful of privacy. Hoffman-Andrews recommends setting short retention periods for AI tools and deleting chats after use to minimize the risk of data breaches or misuse for model training.
"Companies still have server logs, but it can help reduce the risk of a third-party getting access to your account," he explains.
The evolving landscape of AI privacy requires constant vigilance and informed decision-making. As these tools penetrate more deeply into our lives, it’s critical to remain aware of the potential privacy risks and take proactive steps to protect our data and control its usage. By asking the right questions, choosing opt-out options wisely, and practicing data minimization, consumers can navigate the new age of generative AI responsibly and securely.
