This is how Apple’s handling privacy with iOS 18.2’s ChatGPT integration

1 month ago 15

A huge Apple Intelligence upgrade has arrived in the iOS 18.2 beta: ChatGPT integration, which works both with Siri and in writing tools. But how will ChatGPT respect your privacy? Here are Apple’s full release notes detailing its privacy practices for ChatGPT, as documented in iOS 18.2’s Settings app.

ChatGPT Integration & Privacy: Full release notes

The ChatGPT Integration is designed to put you in control and enable you to choose what to share.

You can choose to enable the ChatGPT Integration when using Siri, Writing Tools, and visual intelligence with the Camera Control (if available). The ChatGPT Integration can help you answer questions, as well as generate text and image content. You control when ChatGPT is used and will be asked before any of your information is shared.

You can use the ChatGPT integration without an account. If you have a ChatGPT account, you also can choose to connect to your account with this integration.

Using the ChatGPT Integration

Before any information is sent to ChatGPT, you must enable the ChatGPT integration. This integration is off by default. Enabling it allows you to send requests to ChatGPT in Siri, Writing Tools, and visual intelligence with the Camera Control (if available). You can choose to disable the ChatGPT Integration at any time by going to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > ChatGPT, and tapping to turn off ChatGPT.

When you use Siri, your request will be analyzed to determine whether you are explicitly asking ChatGPT to process a request. For example, if you explicitly ask ChatGPT to perform a task, such as saying or typing “Ask ChatGPT to write a poem.” These requests will then be sent directly to ChatGPT.

If there is no explicit request to use ChatGPT, your request is analyzed to determine whether ChatGPT might have useful results. If it does, Siri will ask whether you would like to use ChatGPT. If you choose, Siri will send your request to ChatGPT and present the answer directly. You also can choose to disable Siri asking you to confirm whether Siri should send a request to ChatGPT by going to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > ChatGPT, and tapping to turn off Confirm ChatGPT Requests.

When you use Writing Tools and visual intelligence with the Camera Control, you will be able to choose whether you would like to use the ChatGPT integration for each of these features separately.

When using the ChatGPT Integration, you may choose what content to send to ChatGPT.

Using the ChatGPT Integration Without an Account

If you access the ChatGPT integration without an account, only the request and attachments like documents, photos, or contents of the document will be sent to ChatGPT to answer your request. OpenAI also will not receive any information tied to your Apple Account. Your IP address is obscured from ChatGPT, but the general location is provided for purposes such as enabling ChatGPT to prevent fraud and comply with applicable law.

OpenAI is required to process your request solely for the purpose of fulfilling it and not store your request or any responses it provides. OpenAI also is required not to use your request to improve or train its models.

Using the ChatGPT Integration with a ChatGPT Account

You can choose to create a ChatGPT account or sign in to an existing account. If you are a ChatGPT subscriber, you will be able to access paid features from your Apple experiences.

When you are signed in, your ChatGPT account settings and OpenAI’s data privacy policies will apply. This means OpenAI may log your request, attachments, and session history, and use this data to train or improve their models. To learn more about OpenAI’s privacy practices, visit https://openai.com/policies/row-privacy-policy and https://openai.com/policies/row-terms-of-use.

What Data is Provided to Apple

When you use ChatGPT in Siri, Writing Tools, and visual intelligence with the Camera Control (if available), Apple collects limited information about your requests to ChatGPT and ChatGPT’s response, such as the number of requests sent, or the approximate size of the request or response in order to operate the service and prevent fraud.

When you use ChatGPT in Siri, Apple collects information about your request. For more information, visit www.apple.com/legal/privacy/data/en/ask-siri-dictation. If you choose to opt in to Improve Siri and Dictation, additional data about your request and the response provided may be logged by Apple, such as the audio recording and transcript of your request and the response provided. None of this data is tied to your Apple Account.

Reporting a Concern

If you have an issue to report about the ChatGPT integration, you may report it through Report a Concern. When you report a concern, you may make a separate choice to share information about the concern with OpenAI. For more information, visit www.apple.com/legal/privacy/data/en/report-concern.

9to5Mac’s Take

Apple Intelligence has a strong emphasis on user privacy, but integration with third-party services like ChatGPT is one way Apple’s own privacy practices are stretched.

As a result, it’s great to see Apple outline in detail exactly how ChatGPT integration works as relates to your privacy in iOS 18.2. This way, users can make an informed decision about whether to enable the new features enabled by ChatGPT.

What do you think of these ChatGPT privacy practices? Will you enable the integration? Let us know in the comments.