Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has warned that many people share personal and sensitive information with ChatGPT without realizing those conversations could be used as evidence in legal cases.

Altman noted that users often treat ChatGPT like a trusted confidant, but digital chats are not legally protected from court subpoenas. If relevant, messages sent to AI tools like ChatGPT could be requested by law enforcement or lawyers.

The warning serves as a reminder for users to be cautious about what they share with AI. Experts recommend avoiding the use of AI chatbots for private, legal, or confidential information and encourage users to stay informed about how their data may be stored or accessed.

As AI becomes more integrated into daily life, understanding the legal risks of digital communication is more important than ever.