AI Guide: Temporary Chats in Gemini and ChatGPT

Many parents are curious about using AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini to support learning, planning, and everyday family life, but they are also understandably worried about privacy.

Both tools now offer something called a temporary chat. This feature is designed to give you more control over what is saved, remembered, or used to improve the AI.

Below, we answer the most common questions parents ask, using real parenting examples and plain language.

What is a “temporary chat”?

A temporary chat is a conversation that is not saved in your regular chat history and is designed to limit long-term memory and learning from that conversation.

Why this matters for parents:
Temporary chats are helpful when you want quick support without creating a long record tied to your account. For example:

• Asking for help explaining a homework topic once
• Getting parenting advice on a sensitive issue
• Reviewing a document or message you do not want saved

Is a temporary chat the same in Gemini and ChatGPT?

No. This is very important.

The idea is similar, but the privacy rules are different, and parents should not assume they work the same way.

This is why reading the on-screen warnings before starting a temporary chat really matters.

How do temporary chats work in ChatGPT?

ChatGPT Temporary Chat means:

• The chat does not appear in your history
• ChatGPT does not remember the conversation later
• The chat is not used to train or improve ChatGPT’s models
• For safety reasons, a copy may be kept for up to 30 days, then deleted
  
   

What this means for parents:
You can use ChatGPT temporary chat like a clean slate.

Parenting examples:

• Asking how to explain fractions to a 9-year-old
• Getting help writing a calm message to a teacher
• Talking through a one-off parenting challenge
• Exploring a topic your child asked about without it shaping future answers
  
  We include a series of scenarios and why you might want to make them temporary chats at the end of this How-To.

Where to click:

Look for a dashed speech bubble icon in ChatGPT at the top right of the screen.

How do temporary chats work in Gemini?

Gemini’s temporary chats are closer to an incognito mode, but parents need to read the warning carefully.

Key points parents should know:

• Regular Gemini chats are saved in something called Gemini Apps Activity
• Some saved chats may be reviewed by humans to improve Google’s AI
  Temporary chats are designed not to be saved or used for training
• Gemini may keep the temporary chat available for a short time (for example, up to a few days) so you can return to it
• After that, it is deleted
  
   

Most important warning from Google:
If Gemini Apps Activity is turned on, do not enter anything you would not want reviewed or used.

This warning appears for a reason, and parents should pause and read it before starting.

Where to click:
 

Can Gemini temporary chats still be reviewed by humans?

Temporary chats are designed not to be used to train Google’s AI, but parents should understand the difference between:

• Regular chats (which may be saved and reviewed)
• Temporary chats (which are more private, but not magical or anonymous)

This is why Google strongly advises users not to enter information they would not want reviewed or used, unless they are confident they are in a temporary chat and understand their settings.