Zero data retention
Also called ZDR, zero-retention
An arrangement where an AI provider doesn't keep your prompts and responses once it has answered them.
Turning off training decides whether your prompts teach the next model. It doesn't decide whether they're stored. Most AI providers keep prompts and responses for a while even when they don't train on them, often around 30 days, mainly so they can check for abuse.
Zero data retention is the stronger promise: the provider processes the request and keeps nothing afterwards. It's usually a business arrangement rather than a switch anyone can flip, offered to approved companies, for some features only, and sometimes with exceptions for requests a safety check flags.
If you work with sensitive data, it's worth knowing which arrangement your plan actually has.
For example
A company working with patient records agrees zero data retention with its AI provider, so its prompts aren't kept for the usual 30 days.
Put it to use
Where you'll meet zero data retention in ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude, how to use it there, and the mix-up most people make.
Daily Bytes Plus is in the Android app.