What not to share with an AI chatbot
A practical boundary before you paste or speak.
How to do it
Pause before entering text, images, files, or speech. Remove details that identify you or another person. If the task needs confidential material, consider a safer channel or ask for general guidance without pasting it.
Prompt to try
I need help understanding a bill. Give me a checklist of what to look for without asking for my account number or personal details.
A fictional example
Nora wants to paste a whole bank statement. Instead she asks what common fee labels mean and checks the actual charge with her bank.
Keep private
Keep passwords, one-time codes, payment-card numbers, government IDs, full medical records, private photos, and other people’s confidential information out of a general chatbot. Service data settings differ; read the provider’s current policy.
Before you rely on the answer
Check the provider’s privacy controls and retention terms. If something sensitive was shared, review the provider’s deletion options and take appropriate account-security steps.
Provider example: OpenAI data controls. Settings differ between services.