Imagine having an online chat conversation with a bot that seems so natural and human that you would almost think you were talking to a real person. This is exactly what ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, makes possible. ChatGPT is not even too lame to do your homework or write a report. But while this revolutionary technology offers us new opportunities, it also brings significant privacy and security challenges.
ChatGPT is a natural language processing tool powered by AI technology that allows you to have natural conversations and more with a chatbot. The language model can answer questions and help you with tasks such as drafting emails, essays and even programming.
Who is boss of the bot?
ChatGPT was developed by OpenAI, a research company focused on developing artificial intelligence (AI) with the goal of “making the technology safer and more accessible to society. OpenAI is a private company with a number of key investors, including Microsoft.
OpenAI’s revenue model for ChatGPT focuses on offering subscriptions and licensing of AI technologies to businesses and other organizations.
OpenAI launched ChatGPT on Nov. 30, 2022 and had 100 million active monthly users in just two months after launch!
Is ChatGPT secure and privacy friendly?
When it comes to privacy and security when using ChatGPT, there are some important things to consider.
According to their privacy statement, OpenAI does not collect personally identifiable information (PII), such as name, email address or other personal information, from users who use the ChatGPT API. OpenAI collects only non-identifiable data, such as the content of questions asked and responses generated by ChatGPT. This data is used to improve service quality and train the model. The data is stored only as long as necessary to provide the service and is then deleted. OpenAI also takes several measures to protect users’ privacy, such as encrypting all data sent and received through the API.
All conversations are saved
One of the main privacy concerns when using ChatGPT is that all conversations are stored. This means that your chat history may be stored and retained for later analysis. This can be a problem if you share sensitive information through the chat feature. So don’t do this. Don’t start asking questions that you really should only ask your doctor or a psychiatrist. Do not share passwords, addresses or other sensitive data. Everything is stored and possibly read and used.
This can be used to improve the algorithms, but so it can also be an invasion of your privacy.
ChatGPT, meanwhile, has a feature that allows users to disable saving chats and using them for training purposes, so their interactions are not saved or used for model improvement. You can activate this feature in settings.
Security ChatGPT
In addition to privacy, there are also concerns about the security of using ChatGPT. For example, cybercriminals may try to access your chat history or attack the software itself. This can lead to the leakage of personal information and other sensitive data.
In addition, ChatGPT’s answers are not always reliable. ChatGPT sometimes makes up its own stuff, so don’t blindly rely on ChatGPT’s advice.
Is ChatGPT open source?
No, ChatGPT is not open-source software. OpenAI has chosen to keep the software closed and not make it freely available for anyone to download, modify or distribute. Instead, OpenAI provides access to the software through an API (Application Programming Interface) and through licensing to companies and organizations that want to use the technology.
This means that the code behind ChatGPT is not public and only OpenAI has full control over the software. The closed nature of the software means that developers cannot study, modify or improve the code, which some people consider a disadvantage because of the lack of transparency.
Tips for using ChatGPT safely
- Use ChatGPT only for non-sensitive information.
- Use strong passwords and change them regularly. This helps prevent hackers from accessing your account, also always use 2FA whenever possible.
- Limit who has access to your ChatGPT account.
- Make sure your device and software are up-to-date and protected with the latest antivirus and anti-malware programs.
- Consider using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to secure your Internet connection and better protect your privacy.
- Disable the feature that allows ChatGPT to store and use chats for model training to maintain more privacy.
How can I use ChatGPT?
You get open currently free access to ChatGPT by simply visiting chat.openai.com and creating an OpenAI account. For this you also need a mobile number, which is also a drawback in terms of privacy.
Once you register yourself, you can start chatting with ChatGPT. Start your conversation by asking a question. Because ChatGPT is still in the research phase, it is free to use and you can ask as many questions as you want. Sometimes due to crowds, the chat is not easily accessible, then you have to wait a while.
