ChatGPT

active AI / LLM service

ChatGPT (consumer) allows commercial use of outputs; free/Plus tier conversations may be used to train models unless you opt out.

ChatGPT is OpenAI's consumer-facing AI product. Output ownership is assigned to the user. Unlike the API, consumer conversations on Free and Plus may be used for training by default; users can opt out in data controls. Team / Enterprise / Edu tiers do not train on conversations by default.

Analysis & practical guidance

The free/Plus training default is the real trap

ChatGPT's biggest practical risk is not the terms — it is the default. On Free and Plus, "Improve the model for everyone" is on unless you turn it off in Settings → Data Controls. Every prompt you send, including pasted source code and customer data, may then become training material. Teams routinely discover this only after a compliance review.

Practical implications

Team, Enterprise, and Edu tiers do not train on your conversations by default — this is the correct tier for any business data.
You own the output under the Terms of Use, but you remain responsible for accuracy and for not violating the Usage Policies.
ChatGPT has no API of its own. If you need programmatic access, that is the OpenAI API — a separate product with separate (no-training) defaults.

When to choose it

ChatGPT is excellent for individual productivity. For any organisation handling non-public data, never standardise on Free/Plus — move everyone to Team or Enterprise, or use the API. The cost difference is trivial next to a data-leak incident.

Basics

slug: chatgpt
type: AI / LLM service
status: active
last checked: 2026-04-18
official site: https://chatgpt.com
official docs: https://help.openai.com

Rights

Key	Value	Condition	Source	Checked
`commercial_use_allowed`	yes		OpenAI Terms of Use	2026-04-18
`output_ownership`	yes		OpenAI Terms of Use	2026-04-18
`training_use_of_input`	conditional	Free/Plus: default opt-in (can opt out). Team/Enterprise/Edu: default opt-out.	How your data is used to improve model performance	2026-04-18

Constraints

Key	Value	Condition	Source	Checked
`api_available`	no	ChatGPT consumer product has no direct API. Use OpenAI API instead.	OpenAI Terms of Use	2026-04-18

Primary sources

Primary official_docs · OpenAI
How your data is used to improve model performance
Checked: 2026-04-18
Primary official_terms · OpenAI
OpenAI Terms of Use
Checked: 2026-04-18

FAQ

Q. Is ChatGPT output allowed for commercial use?

Yes. Under OpenAI Terms of Use, the user is assigned the rights to the output.

Q. Is my ChatGPT conversation used for training?

On Free and Plus, conversations may be used for training by default. You can opt out in Settings → Data Controls. Team / Enterprise / Edu are opt-out by default.

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