Overview

• OpenAI is contesting a June court order in The New York Times copyright lawsuit that would force it to retain all ChatGPT conversations indefinitely.
• The company’s policy deletes most user chats within 30 days unless legally or security-driven retention is required.
• Unlike end-to-end encrypted messaging apps, OpenAI staff can access user conversations for model training and misuse monitoring.
• Usage of ChatGPT for mental health support and life advice has surged among younger users despite the absence of legal privacy safeguards.
• The dispute underscores intensifying debates over AI oversight, user trust, and data governance as AI applications expand into personal advice.