10 things you must never tell ChatGPT, Gemini or any AI chatbot
Artificial intelligence chatbots like ChatGPT are becoming part of everyday life, helping people draft emails, answer quick queries, and even provide companionship. Their human-like responses often make them appear trustworthy, but experts warn that this sense of safety can be deceptive. Oversharing with AI carries serious risks, including privacy breaches, identity theft, and misuse of sensitive data. Unlike a private conversation, interactions with chatbots are not confidential and may be stored, analysed, or exposed. Here are 10 things you should never share with an AI chatbot.
Passwords No chatbot should ever be trusted with your login credentials. Sharing passwords risks exposing your banking, email, or social media accounts. Cybersecurity experts advise using secure password managers instead.
Financial details Bank account numbers, credit card information, or government IDs like Social Security numbers should never be shared. Such data can be intercepted, stored, or misused, leaving you open to fraud and theft. Always use secure, official channels for financial information.
Sensitive images or documents Uploading IDs, passports, driver’s licences, or private photos is unsafe. Even if deleted, digital traces may remain, exposing you to hacking, theft, or misuse. Keep sensitive files in secure storage, not in AI chats.
Work-related confidential data Companies caution against pasting internal reports, strategies, or trade secrets into AI systems. Inputs can sometimes be used to train models, raising the chance of a leak. Sharing confidential work information can compromise corporate security.
Legal issues Chatbots cannot replace lawyers. Sharing details about contracts, disputes, or lawsuits could lead to harmful consequences if exposed. AI advice in this area is often incomplete or misleading.
Health or medical information Asking chatbots about symptoms or treatments may lead to misinformation. Sharing personal health data, such as prescriptions or records, carries risks if leaked. Always consult a licensed doctor for medical advice.
Personal information Your full name, address, phone number, or email may seem harmless, but once pieced together, these details can reveal your identity. This makes you a target for scams, phishing, or even physical tracking. Chatbots cannot guarantee anonymity, so keeping this private is vital.
Secrets or confessions While venting to a chatbot may feel safe, nothing typed into AI is truly private. Personal secrets could be logged or resurface in unexpected ways. Unlike a human confidant or therapist, AI cannot guarantee confidentiality.
Explicit or inappropriate content Sexual content, offensive remarks, or illegal material may be flagged or blocked, but traces could still remain in system logs. Such activity risks suspension and potential exposure of sensitive content.
Anything you wouldn’t want public The golden rule: if you would not post it online, don’t share it with AI. Even casual comments may be logged and resurfaced beyond your control. Always treat chatbot interactions as if they could one day be made public.
