All your ChatGPT conversations to be saved as part of ongoing lawsuits – even deleted ones

Recently, OpenAI revealed that free users can now use the ChatGPT Memory feature, which allows the system to recall previous conversations to improve future responses. However, following a new court decision, OpenAI has been instructed to retain all chat records for every user, including those that have been deleted.

This directive comes as a result of legal actions taken against OpenAI by several news organizations, including the New York Times. (Disclosure: Ziff Davis, the parent company of Mashable, also filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in April, claiming copyright infringement related to AI training and operation.)

On May 13, United States Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang, serving in New York, ordered OpenAI to keep and separate all output log data that would normally be deleted, until the court decides otherwise.

Although the ruling was issued weeks ago, it has only recently become widely known as OpenAI is now contesting the order. OpenAI is seeking oral arguments to overturn the judge’s decision.

The news organizations involved in the lawsuit argue that OpenAI might erase chat logs that could potentially reveal users bypassing paywalls by asking ChatGPT to summarize articles. OpenAI, however, claims these concerns are speculative.

In recent court documents, OpenAI’s legal team stated that the order would place a significant burden on the company and require major changes to its data systems. They also argue that preserving all deleted chats could force OpenAI to break its own privacy policies. OpenAI is prepared to challenge what it calls an overly broad and unprecedented order.

If the court’s decision remains in effect, ChatGPT users should be aware that all their conversations with the chatbot may now be stored, which raises important privacy issues for millions of people.