By Key Points
- OpenAI storing ChatGPT conversations indefinitely after court order
- A court order is forcing OpenAI to retain deleted ChatGPT chats indefinitely
- The order comes as part of The New York Times’ copyright lawsuit
- OpenAI calls this an “overreach” that harms user privacy
- Stored chats will be accessible only to a small legal and security team
OpenAI is now being forced to store deleted ChatGPT conversations indefinitely due to a recent court order tied to The New York Times’ ongoing copyright lawsuit. The legal move is stirring up concerns about privacy and data retention practices.
openai is under a court order to log every output and give it to a court including all deleted chats and sensitive chats logged via API pic.twitter.com/M3U4Kf5zTy
— NIK (@ns123abc) June 5, 2025
Court order disrupts OpenAI’s privacy norms
OpenAI usually deletes user chats permanently after 30 days, in line with its privacy policy. But a court order issued last month now requires the company to preserve all output log data — even if a user requests its deletion or privacy laws dictate otherwise.
Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s chief operating officer, said in a post on Thursday that the company is appealing the decision. He described the order as an “overreach” that “abandons long-standing privacy norms and weakens privacy protections.”
NEW – A federal court has ruled that OpenAI must keep a record of every conversation held on ChatGPT, even if users try to delete them.
This includes all kinds of sensitive information—from personal therapy sessions to financial advice and emotional moments shared late at night.… pic.twitter.com/aDknupPUSv
— Jack Straw (@JackStr42679640) June 7, 2025
The order is part of a copyright lawsuit filed by The New York Times in 2023. The newspaper accuses OpenAI and Microsoft of “copying and using millions” of its articles to train AI models like ChatGPT. Saving user data could help preserve evidence for the case, according to the publication.
OpenAI clarified that this new requirement will affect free, Pro, Plus, and Team users of ChatGPT. Enterprise and Edu customers — as well as businesses with zero data retention agreements — will remain unaffected.
Importantly, the stored conversations won’t be made public. Access will be restricted to a “small, audited OpenAI legal and security team” and only for legal purposes, the company assured.
🚨 if you use ChatGPT: the New York Times got a court order forcing OpenAI to permanently retain every chat, including the ones you delete. Everything you send to the ChatGPT free/plus/pro app, and every call to the API, must be stored for discovery by the NYTimes’ lawyers. pic.twitter.com/QrCYrVduod
— Elan Ruskin (@despair) June 6, 2025
Meanwhile, AI and tech innovation continues to accelerate across industries. Companies like Apple recently revealed exciting advancements in smartphones, including the iPhone 16e with AI, a 48MP camera, and a big battery. Similarly, Android 16 is rolling out to more phones, bringing new capabilities to everyday devices.
OpenAI vows to fight for user privacy
OpenAI is taking a strong stance against the order. CEO Sam Altman posted on X (formerly Twitter), calling it an “inappropriate request that sets a bad precedent.”
“We will fight any demand that compromises our users’ privacy; this is a core principle,” Altman added.
recently the NYT asked a court to force us to not delete any user chats. we think this was an inappropriate request that sets a bad precedent.
we are appealing the decision.
we will fight any demand that compromises our users’ privacy; this is a core principle.
— Sam Altman (@sama) June 6, 2025
While OpenAI has expressed concerns about user privacy, the court’s decision underscores the growing legal complexities surrounding generative AI models. The Times declined to comment on the situation.
This case also highlights a larger debate about how AI companies should handle data, copyright, and privacy. As lawsuits over AI training methods increase, more tech companies may face similar court-ordered data retention demands.
Meanwhile, the rise of AI is influencing broader trends in automation and robotics. For instance, companies are testing humanoid robots to deliver packages, a shift that could reshape logistics and e-commerce. On the consumer tech side, innovations like the Razer Phantom Collection RGB accessories continue to push the boundaries of design and performance.
For now, OpenAI must pause its standard deletion process for ChatGPT conversations — a move that could impact millions of users. Whether the company’s appeal will reverse the order remains to be seen.
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