AI-driven chatbots store your conversation history to have context for future conversations and to help end users who want to remember previously discussed topics. The time the chat history is stored depends heavily on the chatbot provider and any 3rd party services (such as a large language model like GPT4) that support that chatbot.
Does ChatGPT store chat history?
ChatGPT does store your conversation history. This information is used to help provide better user experiences by having context for further conversations and allowing users to review previous discussion topics. Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, stated via Twitter on March 1, 2023, that “data submitted to the OpenAI API is not used for training, and we have a new 30-day retention policy and are open to less on a case-by-case basis.”
Automate Your Work Securely With Capacity
Capacity’s enterprise AI chatbot can help:
- Answer FAQs anytime, anywhere
- Find relevant documents within seconds
- Give surveys and collect feedback
Chatbot data security
When using any chatbot, it is critical to understand the privacy and data policy of the chatbot provider. If you are collecting sensitive customer data through a chatbot, you will want to ensure that the chatbot company is using industry-standard security practices like SOC 2 compliance. This can dramatically mitigate the risk of legal problems in the long run and will ensure the safety of your customers’ data.
Additionally, you should always know how long the chatbot stores user data and delete it when it’s no longer necessary. OpenAI has a 30-day retention policy, but other companies may keep your data longer or shorter periods. Check any chatbot provider’s terms of service to understand the data storage policies.
Penalties for non-compliant chatbots
There are many data privacy laws that companies need to be aware of, including GDPR and CCPA. The fines for not complying with these laws can be significant. In the case of GDPR, fines can reach hundreds of millions of dollars. Amazon was famously fined 746 million euros in 2021, followed closely by Meta’s 405 million euro fine in 2022.
With the complexity of securing customer data in compliance with these numerous laws and regulations, it is critical to pick the right chatbot partner. Smaller chatbot providers may put your company at risk of liability for customer data leaks due to a lack of rigor around data privacy practices. Capacity practices enterprise-standard data security hygiene and will ensure your data is handled with extreme care and caution.
Are chatbots GDPR compliant?
Chatbots are GDPR compliant if the company providing the chatbot adheres to all the requirements and takes appropriate measures to ensure data security. They must provide users with a platform for giving their consent to have their data used, obtain only data necessary for the intended purpose, and keep it up-to-date. Additionally, they must provide users the right to access, modify or delete any data collected. Finally, they must have a policy for handling data breaches and an appropriate data retention policy.
Chatbots can provide an automated customer service experience that is convenient and efficient, but it’s essential to understand the ramifications of storing and using customer data. Do your research before selecting a chatbot provider and ensure they take appropriate measures to protect your customer’s data.
SOC 2 Compliance for chatbots
SOC 2 compliance is a standard for data security and privacy developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). It assesses a company’s ability to protect sensitive information such as financial data, personal information, and intellectual property. As the utilization of chatbots by businesses to connect with their customers and employees grows, there is a potential threat posed if they process confidential data. SOC 2 compliance is particularly relevant for chatbot developers and users, as it ensures appropriate measures are in place to protect data transmitted through chatbot interactions. By adhering to SOC 2 standards, companies can demonstrate their commitment to protecting customer data and building user trust.
How Capacity keeps customer data safe and compliment
Capacity places incredibly high importance on the safety and security of customer data. Data privacy is paramount with over 1,400 customers, including LinkedIn, HomeAdvisor, and Pearson. With this in mind, Capacity is GDPR, CCPA, and SOC 2 compliant. In addition to ensuring Capacity keeps customer data safe, we only use approved vendors that hold our same data security standards. We’ve also taken additional steps to ensure that all customer data remains secure. This includes implementing a strict password policy, training employees on security, and keeping software and systems up to date. You can read about Capcity’s dedication to customer security if you want to learn more about it here.
Final thoughts
In conclusion, chatbot data security is of the utmost importance and must be considered when utilizing a chatbot provider. Research any company’s terms of service and privacy policies to ensure they take appropriate measures to keep customer data safe. At Capacity, we take the safety and security of customer data seriously and will continue to do so.
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