Beyond never sharing sensitive data with publicly available AI systems, we recommend that you remove or change any details that can identify you or someone else in any documents or text that you upload or provide as input. If there’s something you wouldn’t want others to know or see, it’s best to keep it out of the AI system altogether (Nield, 2023). This is not just about personal details, but also proprietary information (including ideas, algorithms or code), unpublished research, or sensitive communications.
It’s also essential to recognize that once data is entered into most AI systems, it’s challenging—if not impossible—to remove it (Heikkilä, 2023). Always exercise caution and make sure any information you provide aligns with your comfort level and understanding of its potential long-term presence in the AI system, as well as with MIT’s privacy and security requirements.
