AI Search Engines: What They Do With Your Data

AI search tools like Perplexity store your queries and, on free and standard paid plans, may use them to improve their models by default. Incognito or private mode limits this but expires quickly and is not recoverable once closed.

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Why AI search needs the same care as AI chat

AI-powered search tools like Perplexity answer questions directly rather than just linking to results, and they are increasingly used as a Google alternative. People treat an AI search tool like a regular search engine, assuming a search is just a search. AI search tools store your queries, your uploads, and the answers you receive, and by default may use that data to improve their models on standard plans.

What Perplexity does with your data by default

On Free, Pro and Max plans, AI data retention is turned on by default: your searches may be used to improve future models unless you turn this off in account settings
Incognito or private threads expire within 24 hours and cannot be recovered, useful for a one-off sensitive search
Turning off data retention only affects future searches, not anything already collected
Enterprise and business accounts are not used for AI training

4 steps

Safe habits for AI search tools

Check your account’s data settings the first time you use a new AI search tool, the same as you would an AI chatbot
Use incognito or private mode for anything sensitive
Do not upload documents containing personal or confidential information unless you have checked the tool’s data policy

3 steps

Frequently asked questions

Does Perplexity store what I search for?

Yes, by default, on standard consumer plans, unless you use incognito mode or turn off data retention in settings.

Is an AI search tool more or less private than a normal search engine?

It depends on the specific tool and your account settings. Treat it with the same caution as an AI chatbot, not as a neutral search box.

Can I delete previous searches?

Turning off data retention only affects future searches; previously collected data generally cannot be removed retroactively, per Perplexity’s own stated policy.

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