AI chatbots are all the rage these days. From writing emails to organizing your to-do lists and suggesting recipes using your leftover food in the fridge, Chatbots are part of our daily lives.
With a small monthly subscription to one of these chatbots – ChatGPT, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, or DeepSeek – you have access to tons of information at your fingertips within minutes.
However, there are issues with data privacy and security that cannot be ignored. Every single piece of information you share with these bots is being collected.
So the question is: What are the bots (or the companies behind these bots) doing with this data?
What Data is Being Collected by Chatbots?
When you input text in an AI chatbox, it is collected and reviewed to provide a relevant response. Depending on the platform, this data can be stored temporarily or for a longer period of time. Chatbots learn about your behavior and preferences, giving you an even better and more appropriate result every time.
Most popular AI chatboxes collect your basic personal data, such as your prompts, device information, and IP address. ChatGPT shares this data with its vendors and service providers. Microsoft Copilot collects your browsing history and interactions with other apps.
Google Gemini saves your conversations for up to three years to develop Google products and machine learning technologies. DeepSeek is more invasive, collecting not only your chat history and location data, but also your typing patterns.
All this data is collected to train AI models, enhancing the chatbot’s performance and providing a better user experience. While these companies claim that the data is not used for targeted ads yet, you can never be too cautious about your consent and the misuse of your personal information.
What are the Risks to Users?
When you interact with AI chatbots, you are unwittingly exposing yourself to many risks, including:
Privacy Concerns – Sensitive information shared with developers or third parties can lead to data breaches or unauthorized use.
Security Vulnerabilities – Data collected by chatbots can be exploited by cyber criminals to develop convincing phishing attacks.
Compliance Issues – Using chatbots that don’t comply with privacy regulations can open your business to legal repercussions.
How can you Protect Yourself?
The rules when using AI chatbots are to:
Avoid Sharing Confidential Information – Do not share personal information you do not wish to become public.
Review the Privacy Policy – Read the data-handling of the chatbot you use, including your options for opting out of data retention and sharing.
Use Privacy Tools – Software like Microsoft Purview offers protection and governance control against AI’s data usage.
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There is no doubt that AI chatbots make our lives easier and more productive. However, it’s crucial to understand how your information is being stored and used to take the necessary precautions.
Our FREE Network Assesment will identify any security gaps and provide a roadmap to safeguard your digital assets.
Enjoy the advantages of technology while protecting your business. Schedule a call today!
