Glossary
Opt-out
An opt-out is the setting that tells an AI provider to stop using your conversations to train its models. Most major chatbots offer one, but it is usually switched off by default, so you have to find the toggle yourself.
“Opt-out” simply means saying no, thanks to something that happens automatically. In the AI world it almost always refers to one thing: telling the provider not to use your chats as training data.
Here’s the catch. On most consumer plans, training on your conversations is the default, and the burden is on you to switch it off. The toggle exists, it works, and it takes about a minute. Nobody just puts it in front of you.
A plumber who uses a chatbot to quote jobs types customer names and addresses all day. With the opt-out off, that flows into training; with it on, it doesn’t. Same tool, same price, very different privacy.
Opting out usually does not delete what you’ve already sent, and providers may still keep chats temporarily for safety reviews. If you want your settings done right in a few minutes, our setup wizard walks you through every toggle.
Where you’ll meet this
- ChatGPT → Settings → Data Controls → “Improve the model for everyone” (turn it off)
- Claude → Settings → Privacy → training preferences
- Gemini → Gemini Apps Activity in your Google account
Related terms
Put it to work
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