4 Things You Should Never Share With ChatGPT

Yes Yes you saw all those cool new photos of toy characters and maybe even the video showing you can get rich using ChatGPT with Canva… (SIGH) but seriously… ChatGPT is rapidly becoming one of the fastest-growing apps of all time, driven by its cutting-edge AI technology. As of March 2025, according to NerdyNav, ChatGPT boasts 400 million weekly active users, including 15.5 million plus subscribers and 1.5 million enterprise customers.

With 122.58 million daily users, the platform handles over 1 billion queries each day, with users leveraging its AI capabilities for tasks ranging from creating images to searching for information and assisting with everyday activities. However, as the app’s popularity continues to soar, concerns are emerging regarding the safety and privacy of the data users provide.

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, states in its privacy policy that it respects the personal data it collects, whether through the account you create on the app or via the app’s search engine. However, there are certain situations where the privacy policy may not apply.

For example, if content is processed on behalf of customers of their business offerings, personal data may be disclosed to vendors and service providers. These include companies that assist with business operations, such as hosting services, customer support, and cloud services.

Additionally, in cases of strategic transactions, reorganizations, or bankruptcy, personal data may be shared. OpenAI may also share your personal data or search engine queries with government authorities, industry peers, or other third parties in compliance with the law.

With this grey area in mind, here are four things you should steer clear of feeding the app for your safety and protection.

While OpenAI claims that it doesn’t use user data to train AI models on private individuals and doesn’t sell personal information, it’s still best to err on the side of caution. Per the University of Arizona, for added privacy, you can disable the “improve the model for everyone” setting in ChatGPT by following these steps.

1. Avoid sharing financial or sensitive information.

It’s critical not to input sensitive details like bank account or credit card information into ChatGPT. According to Forbes, doing so can be risky, as chatbots lack the security features of trusted e-commerce or banking platforms, such as encryption and automatic data deletion. Once data is entered, there’s no way to predict what might happen to it, leaving you vulnerable to fraud, identity theft, phishing, and ransomware attacks.

Click on your name, go to settings, then select “Navigate to Data Controls.” Turn off the switch labeled “Improve the model for everyone.”

2. Never share your medical information.

Although it may be tempting to ask ChatGPT for medical advice, you should be extremely cautious. With recent updates allowing AI to “remember” past interactions and pull information from previous chats, sharing health-related details can pose significant privacy risks, Forbes notes. There’s no guarantee that this data will remain confidential.

This concern is especially critical for healthcare providers, as improper handling of patient information could lead to fines and serious reputational damage.

3. Protect your usernames and passwords.

The only place you should be entering passwords is on the specific app or website that requires them. Best practices for password security advise against storing passwords in unencrypted locations, as this increases the risk of exposure. Avoid asking ChatGPT to store or suggest passwords for you—keeping your passwords in one secure location is always the safest option.

4. Don’t share your original work or intellectual property.

If you’re working on a creative project, such as a screenplay, and want feedback from ChatGPT, think carefully before sharing your original work. As TechCo highlights, sharing copyrighted material or unpublished content could lead to it being used to train AI, potentially exposing your ideas to others. Unless you’re comfortable with your work being shared or used by others, it’s best to keep your intellectual property private.