ChatGPT vs. Microsoft Copilot vs. Claude vs. Gemini
When choosing an AI assistant, understanding how each platform handles your data is crucial. ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, and Gemini differ in how they store and retain data, the level of user control they provide, whether they share information with third parties, and how they use data for training their models. These factors impact privacy, security, and compliance, especially for businesses handling sensitive information. This article breaks down the key differences among these AI tools, helping you make an informed decision based on data policies that align with your needs.
Data Storage
Understanding where and how your data is stored is essential for assessing security and compliance. Each AI assistant—ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, and Gemini—has different policies on data storage, including whether interactions are stored temporarily or retained for extended periods.
ChatGPT (OpenAI)
Microsoft 365 Copilot
Claud (Anthropic)
Google Gemini
User prompts and chat history are stored on OpenAI’s servers (cloud infrastructure)
ChatGPT Enterprise offers isolated storage/compliance options for businesses (SOC 2–compliant)
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All Copilot data stays within your Microsoft 365 cloud tenant. Prompts and responses are stored in Microsoft’s Azure data centers, under your organization’s tenant and compliance boundary.
(EU customer data stays in-region per Microsoft’s data residency commitments.)
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Data is stored on Anthropic’s secure cloud servers. Although Anthropic may process data globally, it implements legal safeguards for international transfers (e.g., Standard Contractual Clauses for EU data).
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How does Anthropic protect the personal data of Claude.ai users?
User interactions are tied to the user’s Google Account and stored in Google’s servers. By default, Google retains Gemini app data in your account (e.g. for 18 months, adjustable).
Enterprise Google AI deployments (via Google Cloud/Workspace) store data within Google’s cloud with regional controls (EU boundary for EU users).
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Data Retention
How long AI platforms retain your data can significantly impact privacy and compliance. While some services store conversations for ongoing improvements, others offer options to limit or disable retention. Let’s explore how each AI handles data retention policies.
ChatGPT (OpenAI)
Microsoft 365 Copilot
Claud (Anthropic)
Google Gemini
Default: OpenAI may retain conversation data indefinitely unless you delete it (It keeps data “as long as needed” to provide services).
No-History Mode: If you turn off chat history, new conversations are retained for 30 days for abuse monitoring and then permanently deleted.
(ChatGPT Enterprise/API: retains data for 30 days or less by default).
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Default: Copilot chats are stored similarly to emails or documents – retained until deleted per your organization’s policy. By default, data persists in your account’s Copilot activity history.
Admin Control: Using Microsoft Purview compliance tools, administrators can set custom retention policies or auto-deletion schedules for Copilot interaction logs.
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Default: Anthropic auto-deletes user prompts and outputs from its systems within 30 days (unless needed longer for abuse prevention or legal reasons).
User Deletion: If a user deletes a conversation, it’s removed from the app immediately and from all backend systems within 30 days.
(Flagged content may be kept up to 2 years for safety review).
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Default: Google stores Gemini conversation data for 18 months (linked to your Google Account) by default, but you can change this to 3 or 36 months.
User Control: You may also disable Gemini activity tracking entirely; in which case Google only keeps conversations temporarily (up to ~72 hours) for service delivery before deletion.
(For paid enterprise use, Google logs prompts/responses only transiently, just long enough to detect abuse.)
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User Control Over Data
Having control over your data means being able to access, manage, or delete stored information. Some AI models provide extensive user controls, while others offer minimal customization. Here’s how each assistant empowers-or restricts-user control.
ChatGPT (OpenAI)
Microsoft 365 Copilot
Claud (Anthropic)
Google Gemini
Users can manage and delete their data. You can delete individual chat threads or use “Clear conversations” to remove history; you can also request full account deletion (which erases all data).
OpenAI provides a data export tool and a setting to opt out of model training/turn off history for privacy.
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Users and admins have control. End-users can delete their Copilot chat history (prompts & responses) at any time via the Microsoft Account privacy portal.
Administrators can discover, export, or purge Copilot interaction data across the organization using compliance tools (Content Search, Purview), and define if/how long such data is retained.
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Users have strong control: Claude lets you delete any conversation thread, which removes it from your history immediately and ensures it’s erased from Anthropic’s servers within 30 days.
Anthropic also offers enterprise customers additional controls (including possible zero-retention settings by arrangement).
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Google provides account-level controls for Gemini. Users can adjust how long data is saved (choose 3, 18, or 36 months auto-delete) or turn off saving of Gemini chats entirely.
You can review and manually delete past Gemini interactions in your Google Account’s activity controls at any time. (Enterprise admins manage data in Workspace/Cloud via standard Google admin consoles and policies for data retention or deletion.)
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Third-Party Sharing
Data shared with third parties can raise concerns about confidentiality and security. Some AI providers ensure data remains private, while others may use third-party services or share insights for operational purposes. This section breaks down where each platform stands.
ChatGPT (OpenAI)
Microsoft 365 Copilot
Claud (Anthropic)
Google Gemini
OpenAI does not share or sell user-provided data with third parties for advertising or other purposes.
Your chat data stays within OpenAI and its cloud providers. It may be disclosed to third parties only in exceptional cases (e.g. legal obligations or if you explicitly share a chat link). By default, no external parties see your inputs/outputs.
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Data is not shared outside of Microsoft. Copilot’s design keeps prompts and results within your tenant and Microsoft’s cloud services – it doesn’t send your data to OpenAI or any outside entity.
(No third-party access; even Microsoft’s own human reviewers are opted-out by design for Copilot services.
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Anthropic does not disclose your conversations to third parties. Personal data is shared only with trusted service providers or if required by law, similar to typical SaaS practice.
Data is not sold or monetized externally. (Anthropic staff access to user data is also highly restricted.
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How does Anthropic protect the personal data of Claude.ai users?
Google does not sell personal data; your Gemini conversations are used internally and not given to outside companies. However, using Gemini within the Google ecosystem might involve other services: for example, if you invoke a third-party plugin or other Google service via Gemini, data will be shared with that service as needed.
Outside of such user-initiated cases or legal requests, Gemini data isn’t sent to external third parties.
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Use of Data for LLM Training
One of the biggest concerns for organizations is whether their data is used to train AI models. Some platforms explicitly state they do not use user inputs for training, while others may use data to refine their systems. Here’s how ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, and Gemini handle training data.
ChatGPT (OpenAI)
Microsoft 365 Copilot
Claud (Anthropic)
Google Gemini
Yes, by default for Free, Plus and Pro accounts: OpenAI may use the content of your prompts and ChatGPT conversations to train and improve its models. However, opting out is available for
No (for Team & Enterprise Accounts). ChatGPT Team and Enterprise user data is not used for training.
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No: Microsoft explicitly states that your prompts and Copilot responses are not used to train the foundation models (GPT-4) that power the service.
Your organizational data and queries stay private to you and are not fed back into OpenAI or Microsoft’s model training. (Any optional feedback you provide is used to improve the product/service quality, not to retrain the AI on your specific data.
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No, by default. Anthropic commits to not using your Claude conversation data to train its AI models without your permission.
By default, inputs and outputs are excluded from training loops. Only if you voluntarily opt-in (e.g., submit feedback or explicitly agree) might your data be used to help improve model performance.
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Yes (for consumer tiers): Google uses content from free Gemini (Bard) interactions to improve its products and models.
Google may have human reviewers analyze some prompts/responses (after disconnecting them from your identity) to refine Gemini’s performance.
No (for enterprise): For paid enterprise services using Gemini (e.g. via Google Workspace), Google does not use your prompts or outputs to train models or improve services without consent. Data is only processed to return results and for abuse monitoring.
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Choosing the right AI assistant means balancing functionality with privacy, security, and compliance. While tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, and Gemini offer powerful capabilities, each comes with its own approach to data handling and user control. Understanding these differences is essential for selecting a solution that aligns with your organization’s needs and risk profile. Keep in mind that privacy policies and data practices can evolve over time. Each company may update its policies at any time, so always consult the most current documentation from the provider before implementing or relying on any AI tool—especially in environments involving sensitive or regulated data.
Need help navigating your AI options? Cerium can help you take a secure and practical approach to AI adoption, from evaluating tools to preparing your organization for long-term success. Learn more about our AI services.
