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🧠 ChatGPT Isn’t a Therapist (Your Secrets May Not Stay Secret)

Using ChatGPT for therapy-like conversations? Sam Altman says those chats have zero legal privilege—and courts could demand access.

Author

Theo T
July 30, 2025

🔍 The Big Question

Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, recently warned on a popular podcast:

“If you talk to ChatGPT about your most sensitive stuff…and then there's a lawsuit, we could be required to produce that, and I think that’s very screwed up.”

Conversations with licensed therapists, doctors, or lawyers are protected by legal privilege. But ChatGPT chats? No such coverage. That means your personal reflections could—legally—be treated like emails or notes, not a private therapy session.

⚖️ Why This Matters

  • No attorney-client or doctor-patient confidentiality. ChatGPT chats can be subpoenaed in court just like email threads or cloud notes.

  • Deleted chats aren’t gone for sure. OpenAI typically retains deleted conversations for 30 days—but a court order means they may store them indefinitely.

  • Legal standards lag behind behavior. The CEO himself called for a concept of “AI privilege”—but no laws or protections currently exist.

⚠️ A Real-World Example? Sort of

While no court has yet demanded therapy-style AI chats specifically, OpenAI is currently appealing a court order that demands permanent retention of all ChatGPT logs—including deleted ones. This is part of The New York Times lawsuit over copyright. OpenAI calls that request an “overreach” that threatens user privacy.

Bottom line: the legal precedent to access AI chats is building—and it could apply to any use case.

đź“Ś Real Risks You Should Know

Scenario

Why It’s Risky

You discuss marital or custody issues.

AI chats could be read in divorce proceedings.

You ask ChatGPT for legal loopholes or financial advice.

That becomes digital evidence—sometimes admissible.

You disclose stress, self-harm thoughts, or illegal intentions.

AI isn’t bound by duty-of-care or mandatory reporting.

đź’ˇ How to Use ChatGPT Safely

  • Turn off chat history before sharing personal or sensitive information.

  • Avoid using ChatGPT for therapy, legal, or medical advice. Use official, encrypted services or licensed professionals.

  • Mask details: Instead of: “Here’s my name, ex’s name, and my location…”
    consider: “I’m going through a breakup. What advice should I focus on?”

🚀 Bottom Line

Altman himself admits: there’s no legal privilege for your AI chats—yet.
That means if someone decides your ChatGPT conversations are relevant to a lawsuit, they can be obtained.

Until regulations catch up, treat ChatGPT as helpful—but not confidential, especially on sensitive topics.

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