Your ChatGPT conversations may be visible in Google Search – Search Engine Land
Identify traffic-stealing competitors
Find untapped keyword opportunities
Create content that ranks higher
sel logo
search icon
Search Engine Land » SEO »
Share
Google is indexing public ChatGPT shared links for all but ChatGPT Enterprise customers. This means your AI-generated conversations could be indexed and discoverable via Google Search.
What’s happening. A search using site:chatgpt.com/share +[keyword] reveals shared interactions containing sensitive business details, personal names, roles, and strategies. One such example publicly lists a named senior consultant from Deloitte, complete with age and job description, visible to anyone using the right query.
Why is this happening. This is exactly what happens when someone unknowingly clicks the ‘share conversation’ button in ChatGPT. It’s a data leak waiting to happen, and a goldmine for competitors.
Why we care. Marketers and SEO teams frequently experiment with generative AI to test messaging, develop content ideas, or even build outlines for client-facing documents. When these conversations are shared, intentionally or not, they may expose proprietary strategies, client names, campaign details, or internal research to the open web.
With Google now crawling and indexing these conversations, marketers risk leaking valuable IP or confidential planning material into competitors’ hands, or worse, public scrutiny.
The bigger picture. As enterprise teams increasingly integrate AI tools into their workflows, this development raises concerns around AI governance and data hygiene. While OpenAI’s share feature is designed for collaboration, its implications for data privacy and brand reputation are now in the spotlight.
What you should do. We’re seeing the early signs of what could be a much larger issue. You want to keep company data off the public web and out of search engine reach – so treat AI outputs the same way you treat confidential documents, especially in highly competitive verticals. Here’s what you should do:
A warning. Olaf Kopp, co-founder, chief business development officer, head of SEO and content at Aufgesang GmbH, on LinkedIn noted that only a few thousand conversations are indexed, but warned that you should avoid interacting with shared public ChatGPT chats:
Update. OpenAI has now removed the feature. See our follow-up story: ChatGPT kills Google-indexable chats over privacy fears.
Contributing authors are invited to create content for Search Engine Land and are chosen for their expertise and contribution to the search community. Our contributors work under the oversight of the editorial staff and contributions are checked for quality and relevance to our readers. Search Engine Land is owned by Semrush. Contributor was not asked to make any direct or indirect mentions of Semrush. The opinions they express are their own.
Rick Tousseyn
Get the newsletter search marketers rely on.
See why competitors are outranking you and take back your visibility with Semrush.
Instant analysis, no credit card needed.
Zero-Party Data in Action: How Top Brands Turn Product Discovery into Conversions
Generative AI for Content Creation: A Marketer’s Guide
Mastering AI Discoverability
Get the newsletter search marketers rely on.
See why competitors are outranking you and take back your visibility with Semrush.
Instant analysis, no credit card needed.
Topics
Our events
Semrush
About
Follow us
© 2025 Search Engine Land is a Trademark of Semrush Inc.
Third Door Media operates business-to-business media properties and produces events, including SMX. It is the publisher of Search Engine Land, the leading digital publication covering the latest search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) marketing news, trends and advice. The company headquarters is 800 Boylston Street, Suite 2475, Boston, MA USA 02199.
