Question 11 · What risks arise?
What happens to my data when I enter something?
Short version
That depends on the service and your settings. With many free offerings, your input can be stored and used to train future models. With business versions, this is usually excluded by contract.
Long version
Everything you type or upload into a chat window leaves your computer and is processed on the provider's servers, often in the United States. There it is stored for at least some time, for example to monitor for misuse. Whether it is also used for training is governed by the privacy settings. With many services, you can turn off training on your data.
For everyday use, a simple rule of thumb helps. Public information is unproblematic. Personal data about you or others, such as names, addresses, or health information, does not belong in free services. Confidential company data should only go into tools approved by your employer. When in doubt, replace names and details before entering a text.
In Switzerland and the EU, data protection laws also apply to AI. Still, you are responsible for what you enter.
What you tell an AI, you are telling a company.
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