Artificial intelligence chatbots are increasingly becoming part of daily life. Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot assist with everything from writing tasks to answering complex questions. Their convenience and accessibility are undeniable. However, the more people use AI chatbots, the more they expose themselves to privacy risks.

These platforms are powered by massive language models that rely on cloud-based processing and may store user interactions. While companies behind these technologies promise strong privacy controls and options to opt out of data training, that doesn’t mean user information is completely safe.

In fact, certain types of data should never be shared with an AI chatbot—no matter how useful it might seem at the moment. Here are 5 important types of information that should not be shared with AI chatbots, along with practical tips to keep your data safe.

1. Financial Information

One of the biggest mistakes users make is sharing financial data with AI chatbots. It might seem harmless to ask for help understanding credit scores or to seek budgeting tips, but things get risky when users provide account details, payment history, or investment specifics.

Though companies like OpenAI and Google promise not to sell personal data, interactions may still be stored for analysis or model training. There is also the risk of unauthorized access—whether by malicious actors or internal staff. Cybercriminals could exploit leaked financial data for scams, phishing, or theft.

Even anonymized financial data can be dangerous. For example, if someone shares account balances or banking institutions along with other personal identifiers, it becomes easier for attackers to build a profile and exploit that information.

What to do instead: Keep financial queries general. Ask about concepts or investment terminology rather than discussing your actual financial situation. For personal finance guidance, consult a licensed professional.

2. Personal and Emotional Confessions

Many users turn to AI chatbots for emotional support or as a sounding board for personal thoughts. While chatbots can simulate empathy, they are not trained therapists. They lack true emotional understanding, and more importantly, they do not guarantee confidentiality.

Some users share details about anxiety, depression, or relationship issues. Although these interactions may feel private, they are not covered under health privacy laws. These emotional confessions may be stored or used in datasets unless users explicitly disable data collection or use private mode features.

If such data is ever compromised—whether by a system breach or through misuse—it could lead to emotional harm or reputational damage. Moreover, chatbot-generated responses may not provide medically accurate or emotionally appropriate support, which can cause further issues.

What to do instead: For mental health concerns or personal advice, rely on professionals who are trained to offer confidential, personalized support. AI should only be used for general awareness, not for psychological help.

3. Workplace or Confidential Business Information

Generative AI is becoming increasingly common in the workplace. Employees often rely on chatbots to write reports, summarize meetings, troubleshoot code, or automate tasks. However, many fail to realize that sharing work-related content with these tools can result in accidental data exposure.

Several corporations, including Samsung, Apple, and Google, have already restricted or banned the internal use of AI chatbots due to security concerns. For instance, an incident involving Samsung employees uploading proprietary source code into ChatGPT led to the unintentional leakage of sensitive company data. Such events highlight how AI can become a threat to corporate confidentiality.

Furthermore, workplace content often contains internal strategies, customer data, intellectual property, or legal materials—none of which should be processed by third-party AI tools. These platforms often rely on third-party APIs or cloud storage, making them inherently vulnerable to breaches.

What to do instead: Always check company policies before using AI for work-related tasks. Avoid inputting anything that could jeopardize the organization’s data security or violate confidentiality agreements.

4. Passwords and Login Credentials

Passwords and login credentials should never be shared with an AI chatbot. Some users make the mistake of asking chatbots for help recovering an account or fixing login errors, assuming the platform can offer tech support. It opens the door to serious privacy violations.

Chatbots store conversations on servers. If passwords are entered during chats, they may end up in logs that can be accessed, intentionally or accidentally. Even if encrypted, there's no guarantee that the data is entirely protected from breaches or unauthorized staff.

In 2022, a data breach involving ChatGPT exposed snippets of chat history from unrelated users, reminding everyone that even the most advanced platforms are not immune to security lapses.

What to do instead: Use secure channels like password managers, or IT help desks for account-related issues. Never input login details, PINs, recovery phrases, or verification codes into a chatbot.

5. Personal Identifiable Information (PII)

PII includes full names, addresses, birth dates, phone numbers, email addresses, ID numbers, and medical information. Sharing this type of data with AI chatbots poses a significant privacy threat. Even in casual conversations, users might unintentionally reveal details that could be pieced together to form a complete identity profile.

It is especially risky on platforms that integrate AI chatbots with social media or mobile apps. If the platform lacks strong data governance, malicious actors could intercept or harvest Personal Identifiable Information (PII) for identity theft, fraud, or tracking.

Some users may mention their location while seeking restaurant recommendations or casually reference personal health details when asking about symptoms. These innocent actions may still pose long-term privacy risks.

What to do instead: Keep conversations vague when discussing location, health, or personal circumstances. Avoid revealing information that could be used to identify or trace you.

Conclusion

AI chatbots are revolutionizing how people work, learn, and communicate. But that convenience comes with real privacy trade-offs. Whether you're asking for directions, writing a letter, or troubleshooting an issue, it's crucial to know what you should never share.

The 5 categories—financial information, personal confessions, work-related data, passwords, and identifiable personal data—are especially vulnerable. Once shared, you have limited control over how this information is stored, used, or accessed.