OpenAI previews privacy-focused system for detecting AI misuse

OpenAI is previewing Private Safety Processing with early customers seeking greater certainty about how their data will be protected as AI systems become more capable. The system identifies patterns across related interactions while restricting OpenAI personnel from accessing the underlying content. The company plans to start rolling it out and publish a technical white paper in September.

“No AI lab can address emerging risks alone. Private Safety Processing reflects that approach and is being shaped by customers across industries, regions, and company sizes,” OpenAI wrote.

For eligible API customers using Zero Data Retention (ZDR), prompts and model responses are not retained after a request is processed. An exception applies to images flagged as potential CSAM, which may be retained for manual review and reporting. OpenAI says enterprise customer data is not used to train its models unless customers opt in.

Content Access Controls (Source: OpenAI)

ZDR deployments keep content on infrastructure controlled by the customer. OpenAI is developing another option that would store it on the company’s infrastructure using customer-controlled encryption keys. In both configurations, automated systems can identify potential misuse and return limited safety signals without revealing prompts or responses.