Is it safe to use AI? What not to type in

Checked Oct 24, 2026. These apps change often.

AI chat is safe to use for everyday jobs if you treat it like a helpful stranger: friendly, useful, and not someone you give your bank PIN to.

Lots of people hold off on AI because they're not sure where their words go. That's a good instinct. The apps keep your chats unless you change the settings, and the companies say some chats may be reviewed to make the service safer. A few simple habits let you get the help without oversharing.

Never type these in

• Passwords, PINs, or the codes a bank or website texts you.
• Your full Social Security number or Medicare number.
• Bank account, credit card, or debit card numbers.
• Anything that would let someone pretend to be you, like your date of birth together with your full name and address.
• Someone else's private details without their OK.

Swap in placeholders instead. "My account ending in 1234" or "my mom, 82" works just as well for getting an answer.

Paste letters and bills the safe way

AI is great at explaining a confusing bill or letter. Before you paste or photograph it, cover or delete your name, address, account numbers, and member ID. The explanation comes out the same.

Example: "Here's my electric bill with my name and account number removed. Explain each charge in plain words and tell me if anything looks unusual."

Turn off history and training

These settings were checked on Oct 24, 2026. Menus move around, so if you can't find one, ask the app itself: "How do I turn off chat history in this app?"

• ChatGPT: open Settings, then Data controls, and turn off "Improve the model for everyone" so your chats aren't used to train its AI. For a one-off private question, start a Temporary Chat: it isn't saved to your history or used for training, though OpenAI may keep it for up to 30 days for safety checks.
• Gemini: open Settings and help, then Activity, and turn off Keep Activity. Google says it still keeps chats for up to 72 hours to run the service. You can also start a Temporary Chat for a single conversation.
• Copilot: Microsoft says that in the current Copilot app, your chats and files aren't used to train its main AI models. To stop it remembering things about you, open Settings, then Personalization, and turn off Saved memories. To delete a chat, tap the three dots next to it and choose Delete.

Watch for AI scams

• Download only the real apps: ChatGPT by OpenAI, Google Gemini by Google, and Microsoft Copilot by Microsoft.
• ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot don't call or text you out of the blue asking for money or card details. A message like that is a scam.
• If AI tells you to call a number or click a link, check it yourself first. It can be wrong.

Things to know

• AI can sound sure and still be wrong. Double-check money, health, and legal answers with a real person.
• You can ask any AI "What do you remember about me?" and tell it to forget things.
• Print our cheat sheet for a safety tip and 8 safe starter prompts.
• More help: our guide to checking a scam message and our guide to passing on an old phone safely.

Also read: How to use AI to check if a message is a scam

Also read: Use AI to get an old phone ready to pass on