OpenAI CEO Sam Altman voiced concern that ChatGPT conversations lack legal privilege, potentially making them subject to subpoena in lawsuits, during an interview with podcaster Theo Von last week.
Altman identified this privacy gap as a “huge issue.” He noted that unlike communications with therapists, lawyers, or doctors, which are protected by legal privilege, ChatGPT conversations currently have no such safeguards. He stated, “And right now, if you talk to a therapist or a lawyer or a doctor about those problems, there’s like legal privilege for it… And we haven’t figured that out yet for when you talk to ChatGPT.” Altman added that if sensitive information is shared with ChatGPT and a lawsuit follows, “we could be required to produce that.”
These comments are made as AI increasingly provides psychological, medical, and financial advice. Altman remarked, “I think that’s very screwed up,” asserting that “we should have like the same concept of privacy for your conversations with AI that we do with a therapist or whatever.”
Altman additionally highlighted the need for a legal policy framework for AI, calling it “a huge issue.” He stated, “That’s one of the reasons I get scared sometimes to use certain AI stuff because I don’t know how much personal information I want to put in, because I don’t know who’s going to have it.” Policymakers he has consulted reportedly agree this issue requires prompt resolution.
Beyond data privilege, Altman expressed apprehension regarding increased surveillance driven by AI adoption. “I am worried that the more AI in the world we have, the more surveillance the world is going to want,” he explained, citing governments’ desire to prevent malicious use of the technology. While acknowledging that privacy might not be absolute and expressing willingness to “compromise some privacy for collective safety,” he cautioned, “History is that the government takes that way too far, and I’m really nervous about that.”
