Hardik Chhabra, Nathan Posner; Getty Images
- Apple's partnership with OpenAI integrates ChatGPT with Siri.
- Apple works hard to ensure that user data is secure and stored mostly on its devices.
- Users can prevent OpenAI from using their data to train AI models via settings controls.
Apple's big partnership with OpenAI this week came with assurances about data privacy.
Apple goes further than any other big tech company to keep your data secure and mostly on its devices.
The generative AI boom is putting pressure on Apple's device-only data strategy, though. The most impressive AI feats these days require massive amounts of data to be processed in the cloud.
This certainly applies to ChatGPT, OpenAI's chatbot that's powered by its GPT AI models in Microsoft's cloud data centers.
Apple's Siri will be integrated with ChatGPT soon. Apple users will be asked if they're ok sending some complex requests to ChatGPT.
The privacy protections sound pretty good here:
"Privacy protections are built in for users who access ChatGPT — their IP addresses are obscured, and OpenAI won't store requests," Apple said on Monday.
ChatGPT data-use policies apply
However, if Apple users connect a ChatGPT account, the situation changes.
"ChatGPT's data-use policies apply for users who choose to connect their account," according to Apple.
So, what is OpenAI's policy here?
The startup states clearly that user data is fair game for AI model training.
"When you use our services for individuals such as ChatGPT or DALL-E, we may use your content to train our models," OpenAI says on its website.
This is the default setting. But if you want to switch this off, OpenAI lets you. The startup has a helpful FAQ on this here.
How to turn AI model training off in iOS
In the ChatGPT iOS app, this is how you stop OpenAI using your data to train its AI models:
Tap the three dots on the top right corner of the screen.
Go to "Settings," then "Data Controls."
There's a toggle called "Improve the model for everyone" which is automatically switched on. Just switch it off.
How to turn AI model training off on the web
On the web, find your ChatGPT profile icon on the bottom-left of the page.
Select "Settings" and then "Data Controls."
Then disable "Improve the model for everyone."
"While this is disabled, new conversations won't be used to train our models," OpenAI explains.