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WTF?! OpenAI confirmed that it must now retain all user data forever. ChatGPT will archive the chat logs of anyone who interacts with the large language models provided by the company. This includes data that would normally expire after 30 days. The company claims that its hands are tied by a court order.
ChatGPT has become one of the most popular websites in the world. OpenAI will store almost every interaction of the service’s users in order to comply a court order issued by an American judge.
OpenAI COO Brad Lightcap said that The New York Times, and other publishers, had made what he called an excessive legal request, forcing ChatGPT to make a change in its data retention policy. The Times has asked the court to order OpenAI to preserve user logs to investigate if the chatbot could be prompted to copyright articles originally published online. Lightcap stated.
OpenAI stressed that trust and privacy were core to its products. They argued that the Times’ requests went too far. The company will continue to store user conversations indefinitely while it appeals the court’s ruling.
OpenAI is now required to retain ChatGPT and API consumer content in the future, as per the court order. The company stresses that these data will not automatically be shared with The New York Times, or any other external organization. Access is restricted to a legal team that operates under strict audit protocols and only for the purpose of meeting court-mandated requirements. OpenAI admits
that it may not be fully compliant with Europe’s GDPR. The company claims it is taking “steps” steps to align with EU’s strict privacy requirements. However, it argues that Times’ demands are in direct opposition to these standards.
