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OpenAI can now stop keeping most deleted ChatGPT conversations. A US court ended a rule that required the company to save all chats, even those that users had deleted. The rule originated from a 2023 lawsuit filed by The New York Times and other news organizations. They stated that OpenAI utilized their articles to train its AI.
The court decision by Judge Ona Wang lets OpenAI delete chats for most users. Regular users will see their deleted conversations removed completely, usually within 30 days. However, some accounts that were flagged during the lawsuit still have their deleted chats saved for legal verification.
Before this, OpenAI had to save every chat, even temporary messages. The New York Times stated that this could indicate AI had copied their articles. OpenAI claimed it was a fair use because it only utilized small portions for research and testing.
Free, Plus, and Pro users can now permanently delete their deleted chats. Enterprise and educational users must adhere to strict privacy rules. Flagged accounts still retain some chats for safety, legal, or abuse-related reasons.
This change gives most ChatGPT users increased privacy. Deleted chats now start erasing right after deletion. They usually disappear from OpenAI’s servers in 30 days. Archiving a chat does not delete it. News companies can still see chats saved before September 26, 2025.
The court decision is an important step for user privacy. OpenAI now balances privacy with legal rules. Most users can see their deleted chats gone as expected. However, flagged accounts may still retain some data. This shows how AI, privacy, and law are closely intertwined.
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