Money worries at 2 a.m.. A medical symptom too embarrassing to see a doctor about. The best way to ask someone on a date.

People discuss their most private thoughts with AI chatbots. But their revelations to the apps doesn’t mean they trust the Big Tech companies behind them, according to new research from Proton.

Roughly two-thirds of AI chatbot users have discussed at least one sensitive topic. But at the same time, fewer than one in five say they have a high level of trust in AI companies to protect their private information.

“AI is learning far more about us than a search engine ever could. Search knows what you looked for. AI gets the hesitation, the follow-up questions, and the personal context between the lines,” said Eamonn Maguire, director of AI engineering at Proton. “We’re handing over more than questions now. And when technology knows that much about us, privacy can’t be an afterthought.”

To understand more about how people use and perceive AI, we surveyed 4,014 current AI chatbot users across France, Germany, the UK, and the US. We asked what they’ve shared, why they chose to do so, and what would make them more or less willing to share it.

Key findings

• 66% of AI chatbot users have discussed at least one sensitive topic with a chatbot, including personal finances, sexual health, and relationships.
• 42% of users have little or no trust in AI companies to protect sensitive information shared with chatbots.
• Money, mental health, and career problems are the three most commonly discussed sensitive topics.
• AI users would still rather discuss sensitive topics with friends and family, ahead of AI chatbots and therapists.
• Convenience and freedom from judgment are the most commonly cited reasons for choosing AI over a person.
• 48% of users say they would be more willing to share sensitive information if their conversations were guaranteed to not be used to train AI models.
• Eight in 10 users express interest in an AI chatbot specifically designed for privacy.

...read more at proton.me