OpenAI has implemented a system for tracking user activity on third-party websites

OpenAI has started using specialized code to collect data on user actions on third-party websites. The system works by setting a unique cookie file with the __obi identifier, which records user activity outside the chatbot interface.

Technical analysis has shown that this tracker links the history of visits to external sites with a specific ChatGPT account. Data collection occurs even when the user has previously logged out of their account, allowing the company to form a detailed profile of interests and behavior on the network.

The system's mechanism is based on the integration of advertising scripts that transmit session metadata to the company's servers. The use of the __obi identifier allows for real-time matching of user actions, creating a seamless activity profile that was previously limited to interaction with the AI service itself.

Discussion of the incident on Hacker News confirmed the presence of this code on a number of resources using integration tools from the developer. Experts note that such data collection methods go beyond standard telemetry used for training models and approach the technologies of advertising networks.

This practice raises questions about compliance with privacy policies, as users do not receive explicit notification of the linking of their external browser history with their personal profile in the AI system. Currently, the company has not provided official comments on the purposes of collecting this data.