A common concern we hear about AI is whether or not data that gets uploaded into a ChatGPT or Grok will be sucked up into their system and used to train their models.
The short answer is no, it won’t. The slightly longer answer is that there is an easy to find setting “improve the model for everyone” that you can turn off, and “temporary chat,” which ensures that even your local version of ChatGPT won’t recall your session.
Of greater concern should be cybersecurity. ChatGPT, Claude, and other chatbots are web-based tools with normal authentication, so can be hacked just like any other cloud software (or for that matter, any software at all). Where AI differs is its breadth of use - we get so comfortable popping information into it that we can relax our normal standards and store information as uploads or even answers to questions that we normally would be much more careful about.
Similarly, private chatbot accounts that are used for company business run the risk of data and content walking away with employees as they change jobs - in a much more useful format that might normally be the case. Where possible, it is much better for a company to provide enterprise access, for example through ChatGPT’s “Teams” subscription, than allow private chatbots - at least for now while we’re all learning to use them securely.
Jun 18, 2025 — Member Update
Jun 10, 2026 - Keith Sonderling will visit Warminster, PA-based Prime Sheet Metal and the Philadelphia chapter to learn more about the challenges and opportunities facing the industry.
Jun 10, 2026 - This annual event connects national leadership with local chapters. Attendees left with clear steps to help their chapters, such as starting new SMACNA initiatives, sharing best practices, and providing feedback to shape industry priorities.
Jun 10, 2026 - Deadline quickly approaching to recognize a SMACNA Contractor for their efforts to advance both our association and our industry.