As AI chatbots become a larger part of everyday life, it’s important to understand the privacy risks involved. According to data from Statista, ChatGPT had over 800 million weekly active users globally by late 2025, with a significant portion using it for work, learning, and entertainment. While these tools offer great benefits, they also pose privacy and security risks if sensitive personal information is shared.
Experts recommend avoiding the following highly sensitive data when using ChatGPT:
Personal Identifiable Information (PII)
While ChatGPT may ask for personal details in tasks like drafting resumes or creating plans, experts caution against sharing personal identifiable information such as your full name, address, phone number, or email address. Although ChatGPT can assist in generating responses, storing such information in its database could expose it to potential breaches.
Financial Information
Another critical area of concern is financial information. Users sometimes share their bank details, credit card information, or tax records while seeking advice on budgeting or understanding financial documents. ChatGPT is not designed to protect such sensitive data, which increases the risk of fraud and identity theft.
Medical Details
It’s also advised not to share any medical details with ChatGPT. Many users try to get clarifications on medical terms or explanations of health conditions. However, once health information is entered, users lose control over how it’s handled, and it can be misused.
Workplace Confidential Information
In a professional setting, avoid uploading any confidential or proprietary workplace information, such as internal documents, client details, or intellectual property. Sharing such information with ChatGPT can expose it to risks and may violate company policies.
Illegal Information
Lastly, never share anything that’s illegal. OpenAI follows legal guidelines and any attempt to misuse AI for illegal activities may result in safeguards being triggered or legal consequences.
The key takeaway here is simple: never share personal or sensitive information with ChatGPT. While AI tools can be powerful, using them with privacy in mind is essential for keeping your data safe.
