# ChatGPT

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.

- slug: `chatgpt`
- type: AI / LLM service
- status: active
- official site: https://chatgpt.com
- official docs: https://help.openai.com

## Rights

| Key | Value | Condition | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| commercial_use_allowed | yes |  | https://openai.com/policies/terms-of-use | 2026-04-18 |
| output_ownership | yes |  | https://openai.com/policies/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. | https://help.openai.com/en/articles/5722486-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. | https://openai.com/policies/terms-of-use | 2026-04-18 |

## Primary sources

- [How your data is used to improve model performance](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/5722486-how-your-data-is-used-to-improve-model-performance) — official_docs (primary), Checked: 2026-04-18
- [OpenAI Terms of Use](https://openai.com/policies/terms-of-use) — official_terms (primary), Checked: 2026-04-18

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