With millions of ChatGPT users, you might wonder what OpenAI does with all its conversations.
Does it constantly analyze the things you talk about with ChatGPT?
Does ChatGPT Remember Conversations?
ChatGPT doesn’t take prompts at face value.
It uses contextual memory to remember and reference previous inputs, ensuring relevant, consistent responses.
Take the below conversation as an example.
When we asked ChatGPT for recipe ideas, it considered our previous message about peanut allergies.
Here’s ChatGPT’s safe recipe.
Contextual memory also lets AI execute multi-step tasks.
The below image shows ChatGPT staying in character even after feeding it a new prompt.
ChatGPT can remember dozens of instructions within conversations.
Its output actually improves in accuracy and precision as you provide more context.
Just ensure you explain your instructions explicitly.
You should also manage your expectations because ChatGPT’s contextual memory still has limitations.
ChatGPT Conversations Have Limited Memory Capacities
Contextual memory is finite.
ChatGPT has limited hardware resources, so it only remembers up to specific points of current conversations.
The platform forgets earlier prompts once you hit its memory capacity.
In this conversation, we instructed ChatGPT to roleplay a fictional character named Tomie.
It started answering prompts as Tomie, not ChatGPT.
Although our request worked, ChatGPT broke character after receiving a 1,000-word prompt.
In our experiment, ChatGPT malfunctioned after just 2,800+ words.
Just start another chat altogether.
Otherwise, you’ll have to repeat specific details several times throughout your conversation.
ChatGPT Only Remembers Topic-Relevant Inputs
ChatGPT uses contextual memory to improve output accuracy.
It doesn’t just retain information for the sake of collecting it.
The platform almost automatically forgets irrelevant details, even if you’re far from hitting the token limit.
In the below image, we have a go at confuse AI with various incoherent, irrelevant instructions.
We kept our combined inputs under 100 words, but ChatGPT still forgot our first instruction.
It quickly broke character.
Meanwhile, ChatGPT kept roleplaying during this conversation because we only asked topic-relevant questions.
Ideally, each dialogue must follow a singular theme to maintain accurate, relevant outputs.
you could still input several instructions simultaneously.
Just ensure they align with the overall topic, or else ChatGPT might drop instructions that it deems irrelevant.
Training Instructions Overpower User Input
ChatGPT will always prioritize predetermined instructions over user-generated input.
It stops illicit activities through restrictions.
The platform rejects any prompt that it deems dangerous or damaging to others.
Take roleplay requests as examples.
Of course, not all restrictions are reasonable.
If rigid guidelines make it challenging to execute specific tasks, keep rewriting your prompts.
Word choice and tone heavily affect outputs.
it’s possible for you to take inspiration from the mosteffective, detailed prompts on GitHub.
How Does OpenAI Study User Conversations?
Contextual memory only applies to your current conversation.
ChatGPT’s stateless architecture treats conversations as independent instances; it can’t reference information from previous ones.
Starting new chats always resets the model’s state.
While ChatGPT freely accesses conversations,OpenAI’s privacy policyprohibits activities that might compromise users.
Trainers can only use your data for product research and development.
Developers Look for Loopholes
OpenAI sifts through conversations for loopholes.
It analyzes instances wherein ChatGPT demonstrates data biases, produces harmful information, or helps commit illicit activities.
The platform’s ethical guidelines are constantly revamped.
For instance, the first versions ofChatGPT openly answered questions about coding malwareor constructing explosives.
These incidents made users feel likeOpenAI has no control over ChatGPT.
Trainers Collect and Analyze Data
ChatGPT uses supervised learning techniques.
Although the platform remembers all inputs, it doesn’t learn from them in real-time.
OpenAI trainers collect and analyze them first.
Doing so ensures that ChatGPT never absorbs the harmful, damaging information it receives.
Supervised learning requires more time and energy than unsupervised techniques.
However, leaving AI to analyze input alone has already been proven harmful.
Take Microsoft Tay as an exampleone of thetimes machine learning went wrong.
Developers Constantly Watch Out for Biases
Severalexternal factors cause biases in AI.
Unconscious prejudices may arise from differences in training models, dataset errors, and poorly constructed restrictions.
You’ll spot them in various AI applications.
Thankfully, ChatGPT has never demonstrated discriminatory or racial biases.
The platform more openly writes about liberal than conservative topics.
To resolve these biases, OpenAI prohibited ChatGPT from providing political insights altogether.
It can only answer general facts.
Moderators Review ChatGPT’s Performance
Users can provide feedback on ChatGPT’s output.
You’ll find the thumbs-up and thumbs-down buttons on the right side of every response.
The former indicates a positive reaction.
Are Your ChatGPT Conversations Safe?
Considering OpenAI’s privacy policies, you could rest assured that your data will remain safe.
ChatGPT only uses conversations for data training.
Its developers study the collected insights to improve output accuracy and reliability, not steal personal data.
With that said, no AI system’s perfect.
For your protection, learn to combat these risks.
