OpenAI stops using customer data for AI training following privacy fears
OpenAI, the leading artificial intelligence research lab, made a significant change in its data privacy practices earlier this year. According to updated Terms of Service released in March, OpenAI no longer uses customer data to train its large language models. This shift in policy was not publicly announced, but was confirmed by OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, in a recent interview with CNBC.
While OpenAI has stopped using customer data for training its language models, the new privacy and data protection policy only applies to customers using OpenAI's API services, and probably doesn't apply to its chatbot, ChatGPT, as the company’s updated Terms of Use note “We may use Content from Services other than our API,”. Unless users specifically opt to use the incognito mode, their data will still be probably used to train ChatGPT. This has raised concerns among some users and companies about data collection and security risks. In fact, Samsung has already banned its employees from using chatbots like ChatGPT due to these concerns, and Amazon recently warned employees not to share confidential information with the chatbot.
The use of generative AI products like ChatGPT is still a relatively new area, and companies are still figuring out best practices for managing them. The UK's Competition and Markets Authority is currently investigating how these products could affect competition and consumers. However, OpenAI has taken steps to address one common issue with these types of chatbots: offensive language. ChatGPT has been adapted to recall pre-written scripts when users try to get the bot to say something offensive, alerting the user that their request cannot be fulfilled.
Overall, OpenAI's decision to stop using API customer data reflects the ongoing challenges of managing AI technology and the importance of data privacy for customers. While the company is taking steps to address concerns about data collection and offensive language, it is clear that more work needs to be done to ensure that these types of products are safe and effective for all users.
