As AI tools become more integrated into daily life, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has flagged a major privacy gap in how people interact with ChatGPT. Speaking on a podcast, Altman said users often treat the chatbot like a therapist — without realizing their conversations aren’t legally protected.

“There’s no legal privilege for what you say to ChatGPT,” Altman noted. “But people are using it as a life coach, a therapist. They’re sharing really sensitive stuff.” He warned that the lack of confidentiality could have serious implications if those chats were subpoenaed.

Altman pointed to a recent court battle with The New York Times, where OpenAI is fighting an order that would force the company to retain chat histories from global users — excluding those on ChatGPT Enterprise.

OpenAI says this could set a dangerous precedent, allowing governments or courts to access deeply personal conversations. Altman believes users should have the same expectation of privacy with AI tools as they do with doctors or attorneys.