By Chinenye Anuforo
Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has expressed concerns about the lack of legal protection for conversations held with the company’s popular artificial intelligence chatbot, ChatGPT.
He disclosed this during a recent interview with podcaster Theo Von, warning that sensitive information shared with the AI could potentially be subpoenaed in legal cases, a privacy gap he described as a huge issue.
Altman highlighted that unlike discussions with professionals such as therapists, lawyers, or doctors, which are protected by legal privilege, interactions with ChatGPT currently offer no such safeguards. This means that if users discuss highly personal or sensitive matters with the AI, OpenAI could be legally compelled to disclose those conversations if a lawsuit arises.
Altman expressed strong disapproval of this situation, stating, “I think that’s very screwed up.” He believes that the same concept of privacy applied to conversations with human professionals should extend to interactions with AI. This issue is becoming increasingly pressing as more people turn to AI for psychological support, medical advice, and financial guidance.
The OpenAI chief also emphasised the urgent need for a clear legal policy framework surrounding AI. He noted his own hesitation to input personal information into certain AI tools due to uncertainty about data handling and access. According to Altman, policymakers he has engaged with agree that this privacy challenge requires swift resolution.
Beyond individual privacy, he also shared broader worries about the accelerating adoption of AI globally leading to increased surveillance. He acknowledged that governments might desire more oversight to prevent the misuse of AI for harmful or nefarious purposes, such as terrorism. While he is willing to compromise some privacy for collective safety, he cautioned against historical patterns where governments tend to overreach. “History is that the government takes that way too far, and I am really nervous about that,” he concluded.
The post OpenAI CEO warns chats with ChatGPT are not protected appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
