AI Chat Histories Reveal Privacy Gaps, Experts Warn

N12 News reported that Israelis Mali and Liel Yahalomi were located after their chat histories with artificial-intelligence models were traced from Vienna, Austria, to Buenos Aires, Argentina. The case illustrates how interactions with AI chatbots can generate data that enables cross-border identification, even when users assume the conversation is private.

The Jerusalem Post

Cybersecurity specialist Osher Cohen, founder of Yo Secure, explained that AI chatbots operate as cloud services linked to accounts, devices, IP addresses, and retention policies. Cohen emphasized that such richer records can be stored in global cloud infrastructures, with data potentially processed in multiple regions depending on provider settings and legal requirements. He warned that users frequently treat chatbots as private advisers, overlooking that the underlying service may retain the full dialogue for safety, product improvement, or legal compliance.

The Jerusalem Post

Cohen advises individuals to adopt a “think before you type” habit, avoid entering sensitive information into unsecured chatbots, and regularly review privacy settings. Practical steps include deleting chat histories, using incognito or temporary modes, and refraining from uploading confidential documents. For organizations, he recommends establishing internal AI policies that delineate permissible content—excluding customer lists, contracts, medical records, financial data, and strategic plans—from personal chatbot accounts.

The Jerusalem Post

• “Users need to gain a new habit: think before you type into an AI chatbot,” — Osher Cohen, for cyber expert

The Jerusalem Post

• “The fact that an AI tool appears inside a search bar does not mean the conversation disappears. It still depends on the company operating the service, whether the user is signed in, the privacy settings, the data retention policy, whether history is enabled, and whether the information may be used for safety, product improvement, or legal compliance,” — Osher Cohen, for cyber expert

The Jerusalem Post