'AI privilege' debate looms large as chatbots are entrusted with users' secrets
By Matthew Newman ( May 15, 2026, 13:19 GMT | Comment) -- A Canadian school shooting and French weapons raid have galvanized a growing discussion over how AI companies should respond when chatbot users reveal plans for violence, sensitive medical information or mental health issues. A recent panel on “AI privilege” saw privacy experts and an OpenAI data protection officer debate the issue, which has also surfaced in a US copyright dispute pitting ChatGPT's owner against The New York Times.What are AI companies' responsibilities when chatbot users reveal information such as plans for violence, sensitive medical details or mental health issues? Such questions are high in the headlines in the wake of a school shooting in Canada and a police raid in France....
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