Sam Altman warns there’s no legal confidentiality when using ChatGPT as a therapist

ChatGPT users seeking emotional support may be unknowingly exposing themselves to privacy risks, warns OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. On a recent podcast, Altman said AI interactions do not enjoy the same legal protections as sessions with therapists, lawyers, or doctors.

Altman emphasized that people often share very personal content with ChatGPT, especially younger individuals. “People talk about the most personal sh** in their lives to ChatGPT,” he said, adding that there’s no confidentiality law covering such exchanges.

This legal ambiguity could leave user conversations exposed in litigation. Altman also referenced OpenAI’s court battle with The New York Times, where a judge’s order could require the company to store chats from millions of global users.

Altman described the situation as “very screwed up,” arguing that people should expect the same privacy protections from AI chat tools as they do from human professionals.