New “history off” mode is available now, and more robust ChatGPT Business subscription model is coming in the next few months. OpenAI, the Microsoft-backed firm behind the groundbreaking ChatGPT generative AI system, announced this week that it would allow users to turn off the chat history feature for its flagship chatbot, in what’s being seen as a partial answer to critics concerned about the security of data provided to ChatGPT. The “history disabled” feature means that conversations marked as such won’t be used to train OpenAI’s underlying models, and won’t be displayed in the history sidebar. They will still be stored on the company’s servers, but will only be reviewed on an as-needed basis for abuse, and will be deleted after 30 days. “We hope this provides an easier way to manage your data than our existing opt-out process,” the company said in an official blog post. OpenAI also said that the company is working on a new ChatGPT business subscription model, aimed at organizational users who may need more direct control over their data. ChatGPT Business will adhere to the company’s API data usage policies, meaning that user data will not, by default, be used for model training. OpenAI said that it hopes to debut this subscription model “in the coming months.” Regulators set sights on OpenAI The news comes in the wake of a move by the European Data Protection Board, earlier this month, to investigate ChatGPT, after complaints from privacy watchdogs that the chatbot did not comply with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation. Italy, in March, temporarily banned the use of ChatGPT due to alleged violations of user privacy. That country’s guarantor for data protection demanded that the service demonstrate compliance with applicable privacy laws, and provide improved transparency into how the system handles user data. It’s clear that privacy and data governance were not top-of-mind at the outset for OpenAI, according to Gartner vice president and analyst Nader Henein — who noted that that’s nothing new for a startup focused on getting a workable product out into the market. “They are continuing to build the airplane mid-flight,” he said. “I imagine most of the development underway at Microsoft on Copilot is focused on wrapping that governance and enterprise support around the OpenAI [large language model.]” It’s a step in the right direction, Henein added, but reflects that the design decisions underlying much of ChatGPT may have treated privacy as an afterthought, not as a core component. “There is no doubt in my mind that the team at OpenAI are working feverishly to retrofit governance to their architecture,” he said. “It’s a matter of how much can be done after the fact. The analogy that we have seen used time and time again is that of baking a cake and trying to add sugar or baking powder after you’ve taken it out of the oven.” Related content feature Windows 11 Insider Previews: What’s in the latest build? Get the latest info on new preview builds of Windows 11 as they roll out to Windows Insiders. Now updated for Build 22635.3566 for the Beta Channel, released on April 26, 2024. By Preston Gralla Apr 26, 2024 251 mins Small and Medium Business Microsoft Windows 11 news Dropbox adds end-to-end encryption for team folders Dropbox this week unveiled a range of features, including security updates and key management, and the ability to co-edit Microsoft 365 documents from within the file-sharing app. By Matthew Finnegan Apr 26, 2024 3 mins Cloud Storage Collaboration Software Productivity Software feature Android versions: A living history from 1.0 to 15 Explore Android's ongoing evolution with this visual timeline of versions, starting B.C. (Before Cupcake) and going all the way to 2024's Android 15 (beta) release. By JR Raphael Apr 26, 2024 23 mins Small and Medium Business Smartphones Android news analysis The unspoken obnoxiousness of Google's Gemini improvements Google's Gemini chatbot is seeing all sorts of upgrades on Android this week, but those advancements reveal a darker underlying reality. By JR Raphael Apr 26, 2024 12 mins Google Assistant Google Android Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe