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Switch off AI training in ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini

ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini each have a setting that decides whether your chats can be used to improve their AI models. It has a different name in each tool and sits a few menus deep. Here are the exact steps for a personal account, on the website and in the phone app, with what switching it off changes and what it leaves as it is.

These menus move when the apps update. If a button is not where we say, the vendor's own help page linked under each tool is the final word. The date under each tool is when we last checked these steps against that help page.

ChatGPT

On the website

  1. Go to chatgpt.com and sign in.
  2. Open your account menu. It sits under your name at the bottom left.
  3. Click Settings.
  4. Click Data controls.
  5. Switch off Improve the model for everyone.
  6. If a Done button appears, click Done.

In the phone app

  1. Open the ChatGPT app and check you are signed in.
  2. Open the sidebar. OpenAI gives the same steps for iPhone and Android.
  3. Tap your profile icon to open Settings.
  4. Tap Data controls.
  5. Switch off Improve the model for everyone.
The setting
Improve the model for everyone
What switching it off changes
OpenAI says that once it is off, your new chats are not used to train its models. When you are signed in, the choice applies to your account on the website and in the app, so switching it off once is enough. Your chats stay in your history as before.
What it does not change
It does not delete saved chats. If you rate a reply with thumbs up or down, that whole chat may still be used for training. Voice audio and video clips have their own switches in Data controls, Include your audio recordings and Include your video recordings. Temporary chat keeps one chat out of training.

ChatGPT's own help page (opens in a new tab) Checked on

Claude

On the website

  1. Go to claude.ai and sign in.
  2. Select your name and click the drop down button to open the menu.
  3. Click Settings.
  4. Click Privacy.
  5. Under Help Improve our AI models, click the toggle to switch it off.

In the phone app

  1. Open the Claude app and check you are signed in.
  2. Tap your name in the settings menu. Anthropic gives one set of phone steps for both iPhone and Android.
  3. Tap Settings.
  4. Tap Privacy.
  5. Under Help Improve our AI models, tap the toggle to switch it off.
The setting
Help Improve our AI models
What switching it off changes
Anthropic says it will not use your new chats for future model training, and will also stop using your earlier stored chats in future training runs. For a single chat, an incognito chat (the ghost icon on a new chat) is not used for training either.
What it does not change
Chats already in training that has started, or in models already trained, stay there. Chats flagged by safety systems may still be used for safety work. Thumbs up or down feedback keeps that whole chat for up to 5 years. Incognito chats are still kept for 30 days. Deleted chats are removed within 30 days.

Claude's own help page (opens in a new tab) Checked on

Gemini

On the website

  1. Go to gemini.google.com and sign in with your personal Google Account.
  2. Click Settings & help.
  3. Click Activity.
  4. Near the top, click On.
  5. Click Turn off. If you also want your saved chats deleted, click Turn off and delete activity instead.

In the phone app

  1. Open the Gemini app and check you are signed in with your personal Google Account.
  2. At the left, tap Menu. Google gives the same steps for iPhone and Android.
  3. Tap your profile picture or initial.
  4. Tap Gemini Apps Activity.
  5. Near the top, tap On.
  6. Tap Turn off. If you also want your saved chats deleted, tap Turn off and delete activity instead.
The setting
Keep Activity
What switching it off changes
Google says your future chats will not appear in your Gemini Apps Activity or be used to train its AI models, unless you send feedback. It also stops your future chats being reviewed by people to improve Google services.
What it does not change
Chats are still kept with your account for up to 72 hours to reply to you and keep the service safe. Chats already reviewed by people are kept for up to 3 years, even if you delete your activity. Some connected apps stop working. Temporary chat is another option for a single chat.

Gemini's own help page (opens in a new tab) Checked on

Using a work account? Team and business plans usually do not train on chats by default, and the setting may be managed for you. Check with whoever runs your account before changing anything.