Alert for Chartered Accountants, Advocates & Legal Fraternity

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, warns that conversations with ChatGPT are NOT legally private. Unlike discussions with a lawyer, doctor, or therapist, these conversations can be accessed, stored, and used as evidence in court.

Many users—including a significant number of young individuals—are sharing deeply personal information and relying on ChatGPT as if it were a life coach. Altman characterizes this trend as “bad and dangerous.”

It is important to advise colleagues and clients as follows:

1. Never upload or share sensitive client documents (such as contracts, legal briefs, or personal data) using ChatGPT or other public AI models for drafting or representation.

2. Treat ChatGPT like a public forum, NOT a confidential advisor.

3. Encourage clients to seek assistance from licensed professionals for legal or financial decisions, rather than relying on AI.

⚠️ Caution:

Be aware that deleted chats may still be recoverable for legal or security purposes—they cannot be assumed to be private. Currently, there is no legal privilege or confidentiality protection for AI chats; courts may subpoena your ChatGPT logs.

This message is issued by GST DOST in the public interest.

For further confirmation of this information, please refer to the provided link.

Related news on Sam Altman's warning

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No legal confidentiality when using ChatGPT like in therapy: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman

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Sam Altman says your ChatGPT therapy session might not stay private in a lawsuit

The Economic Times

Telling secrets to ChatGPT? Using it as a therapist? Your AI chats aren't legally private, warns Sam Altman