After your health records, anything goes.
OpenAI will soon permit direct access to bank accounts for its chatbot. Announced today, users can “securely connect” ChatGPT with Plaid, a platform linked to 12,000 financial institutions.
“Over 200 million people use ChatGPT monthly for finance inquiries. Users can now connect accounts with Plaid to view their financial picture,” OpenAI stated.
Once linked, users receive a spending history dashboard and assistance with financial decisions. Initially, only $200-per-month Pro tier subscribers in the US can access this feature. OpenAI aims to expand access following initial use.
This initiative follows the recent launch of ChatGPT Health, not intended for diagnosis. Both require significant trust that user data remains secure.
OpenAI assures user control over data, with options to disconnect and delete data, and the choice to allow AI training. ChatGPT cannot alter accounts or see full account numbers.
It can, however, access balances, transactions, and liabilities. OpenAI, needing to profit, hasn’t clarified how it will use this financial data beyond AI training, raising questions about data protection in case of a system hack.