OpenAI Pulls ChatGPT Chats from Google

OpenAI has taken steps to protect user privacy by disabling the search discoverability of shared ChatGPT conversations.

This move comes after concerns were raised when links to shared chats started showing up in Google search results, potentially exposing sensitive or personal information.

As part of the response, OpenAI has removed the feature that allowed these shared links to be indexed by search engines. The company is also actively working to have any existing links removed from Google’s listings and is implementing measures to ensure that similar issues do not occur in the future.

OpenAI has withdrawn a feature that previously allowed shared ChatGPT conversations to show up in Google Search results.

The company has confirmed that it has now switched off the setting which made these shared chats visible to search engines, and is currently taking steps to remove any links that have already been indexed.

Shared Chats Were “Short-Lived Experiment

When ChatGPT users shared a conversation via the built-in “Share” button, they had the option to allow that chat to appear in search engine results.

This feature, which was introduced quietly earlier in the year, raised red flags when numerous personal chats began surfacing online. Concerns grew after reports revealed that thousands of shared ChatGPT links were being indexed by Google.

Fast Company was the first to highlight the issue, uncovering more than 4,500 shared chat links available on Google Search. Some of these included sensitive content like names, CVs, personal thoughts, and confidential work-related material.

In response, OpenAI issued a statement confirming they had removed the setting that allowed conversations to be found by search engines. The company described it as a brief experiment intended to help users discover helpful shared chats.

However, OpenAI acknowledged that the feature made it too easy for users to accidentally expose information they hadn’t meant to share. As a result, the option to make chats searchable has now been disabled.

They also confirmed that work is underway to have any previously indexed content removed from search engines such as Google.

OpenAI stated that the change would be rolled out to all users by the following morning.

The company reiterated its commitment to privacy and security, noting that these remain a top priority and will continue to be reflected in future updates to its products and features.

How the Feature Worked

Initially, ChatGPT links shared by users were only accessible to individuals who had the direct URL. However, there was an option to enable discoverability, which allowed search engines like Google to index those shared conversations.

This setting has now been taken down, meaning that any chats shared in future will no longer be listed by search engines. That said, OpenAI has warned that some already-indexed links might continue to appear temporarily due to cached results.

It’s also worth noting that deleting a conversation from your ChatGPT history does not remove the public share link or erase it from search engine listings.

Why It Matters

The option to make shared ChatGPT conversations discoverable was originally designed to help users reuse helpful AI-generated content. However, OpenAI has since admitted that this feature brought unintended privacy concerns.

Despite providing clear visibility settings, it appears many users may not have fully grasped the risks involved in allowing their chats to be indexed by search engines.

This situation serves as an important reminder to be mindful about the type of information you share with AI tools. While conversations may begin as private, features such as sharing, logging, or even data used for training purposes can lead to that content becoming publicly accessible.

Looking Ahead

OpenAI has stated that it is collaborating with Google and other search engines to take down shared ChatGPT links that have been indexed. The company is also reviewing how it manages public sharing features within the platform.

If you’ve previously shared a ChatGPT conversation, you can review its visibility and remove shared links by visiting the ChatGPT Shared Links dashboar