If you've ever used Dropbox's AI tools, your files may have been shared with OpenAI, the company's third-party AI partner. While this collaboration allows Dropbox to offer chatbot services such as file summarization, it raises concerns about user privacy.

Dropbox CEO Drew Houston clarified that data sharing only occurs when users are actively engaging with AI features, and that the third-party AI toggle is on by default, requiring users to manually turn it off. is required if they prefer not to share their files with OpenAI.

The move follows growing scrutiny over user privacy in the era of user-facing AI models. Users can disable third-party AI sharing in Dropbox settings by navigating to the Account icon, selecting Settings, and toggling the Third-party AI switch. Despite these assurances, questions remain about the details of data usage and whether files shared with other Dropbox AI users can still be sent to OpenAI servers.

How to stop Dropbox from sharing your personal files with OpenAI?

Here’s how to turn off use of third-party AI in your Dropbox settings if you have data you don’t want to be sent anywhere outside of Dropbox:

1. Log into Dropbox.
2. Click your account icon in the upper right corner.
3. Click Settings.
4. Choose the Third-Party AI tab.
5. Toggle the switch to “off.”