Nearly one in three individuals in the UK admits to sharing confidential personal details with AI chatbots, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, according to new research by cybersecurity firm NymVPN. The study reveals that 30% of Britons have disclosed sensitive data—including banking information and health records—to AI tools, potentially endangering their own privacy and that of others.
Despite 48% of respondents expressing concerns over the safety of AI chatbots, many continue to reveal private details. This habit extends to professional settings, where employees are reportedly sharing internal company and customer information with these platforms.
The findings come amid a wave of high-profile cyberattacks, including the recent breach at Marks & Spencer, which underscores how easily confidential data can be compromised. NymVPN reports that 26% of survey participants have entered financial details related to salaries, mortgages, and investments, while 18% have exposed credit card or bank account numbers. Additionally, 24% acknowledged sharing customer data—such as names and email addresses—and 16% uploaded company financial records and contracts.
“AI tools have rapidly become part of how people work, but we’re seeing a worrying trend where convenience is being prioritized over security,” said Harry Halpin, CEO of NymVPN.
Organizations such as M&S, Co-op, and Adidas have already made headlines for data breaches. “High-profile breaches show how vulnerable even major organizations can be, and the more personal and corporate data that is fed into AI, the bigger the target becomes for cybercriminals,” Halpin added.
With nearly a quarter of people admitting to sharing customer data with AI tools, experts emphasize the urgent need for businesses to establish strict policies governing AI usage at work.
“Employees and businesses urgently need to think about how they’re protecting both personal privacy and company data when using AI tools,” Halpin warned.
Completely avoiding AI chatbots might be the safest option, but it’s not always realistic. Users are advised to refrain from entering sensitive information, adjust privacy settings by disabling chat history, or opt out of model training.
Using a VPN can provide an additional layer of online privacy by encrypting internet traffic and masking IP addresses when accessing AI chatbots like ChatGPT. However, even with a VPN, risks remain if individuals continue to input confidential data.