“Zero data retention”, no training, servers in Switzerland: what do AI providers’ data promises mean?
“Zero data retention”, “not used for training”, “temporary chat”, “hosted in Switzerland” and “data stays in Europe” are five different promises: retention, use for training, a temporary copy, where the servers are and which region. According to the AI providers’ documentation (viewed on 21 October 2026), zero data retention is an option for businesses and developers, not for personal accounts. The Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP) does not generally require personal data to stay in Switzerland: it regulates disclosure abroad (arts. 16 and 17 FADP).
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Get Rappn, freeAI data promises cover different things: retention, model training and where the servers are. In the providers’ documentation, “zero data retention” is an option for businesses and developers, not for personal accounts, and the Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP) does not generally require personal data to stay in Switzerland.
Updated October 2026. Sources: Anthropic (in English), API, residency, retention, training, incognito, commercial terms; Google, Gemini Apps, Workspace, API, Cloud; OpenAI (in English), business, API, temporary chat, training, retention, residency; Fedlex, FADP, SR 235.1 (status 7 July 2025), DPO, SR 235.11 (status 1 December 2025); FDPIC, cross-border, outsourcing, cloud (viewed on 21 October 2026).
What does “zero data retention” mean?
It means the provider does not store prompts and responses after processing them, for the features covered by an agreement or a configuration (ZDR). For Anthropic, Google and OpenAI it applies to businesses and developers, with exceptions:
- Anthropic: switched on per organisation; it does not cover the Free, Pro and Max plans, and chats its safety systems flag as violations can stay for up to 2 years.
- Google Cloud: the customer must act in several areas (abuse-monitoring logs, caching, Google Search); for some advanced features it may not be possible.
- OpenAI: the API keeps abuse-monitoring logs for up to 30 days by default; ZDR needs approval, and images flagged by safety checks are kept for review.
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Retention, training, hosting: three different things
| Promise | What it means | What it does not mean |
|---|---|---|
| “Zero data retention” | No copy of prompts and responses after processing | Does not apply to personal accounts or to every feature; legal and safety exceptions remain |
| “Not used for training” | The content does not improve the models, with exceptions such as consent or feedback | Does not say how long it is kept: OpenAI’s API keeps abuse-monitoring logs for up to 30 days |
| “Temporary chat” | Out of the history and not used for training while it stays temporary | Not immediate deletion: Anthropic (incognito chat) 30 days by default, Google 72 hours, OpenAI up to 30 days |
| “Hosted in Switzerland” | Part of the data sits on servers in Switzerland | Does not say who runs the service, whether only storage or also processing is on site, or who can access it from other countries |
| “Data stays in Europe” | Data stored, sometimes processed, in a European region chosen by the customer (OpenAI, for eligible customers: “Europe (EEA + Switzerland)”) | Not Switzerland alone and not all the data: Anthropic offers “us” or “global” (direct API), Google can respond from any region with the global endpoint, OpenAI excludes account, billing and metadata |
Servers in Switzerland: what the law says
The FADP does not generally require personal data to stay in Switzerland: it regulates when data may go abroad. It may, if the Federal Council has found adequate protection in the receiving State (art. 16 para. 1 FADP): Annex 1 DPO includes the EU and EEA States, the United Kingdom and, only for organisations certified under the Swiss-US Data Privacy Framework, the United States. Otherwise safeguards are needed, such as standard clauses recognised by the FDPIC (art. 16 para. 2), or an exception, such as explicit consent (art. 17).
Making data accessible is also “disclosure” (art. 5 lit. e); for the FDPIC, the place of processing and the seat of the provider and its sub-processors count. A duty of confidentiality, for example professional secrecy, can prohibit outsourcing (art. 9 para. 1 lit. b). This is general information, not legal advice.
Personal accounts or business: two different regimes
| Provider | Personal accounts | Business and API |
|---|---|---|
| Anthropic | Training if you allow it (de-identified data for up to 5 years) or the chat is flagged. Incognito chats: not used | Commercial terms: no training on customer content |
| With “Keep Activity” on: training and human review of a share of chats (up to 3 years); deleted after 18 months by default | Workspace: no human review or training outside the domain without permission. Paid API (in Switzerland, the free quota too): no use to improve products, limited abuse-monitoring logs | |
| OpenAI | Free, Plus and Pro: training possible until you switch it off | Business, Enterprise, Edu and API: no training by default |
How to check a data promise
- Find the exact sentence and the product it applies to: personal account, business account or API.
- Separate three questions: how long it is kept, whether it is used for training, where it is stored and processed.
- Read the privacy policy (how to read it): if data goes abroad, the controller must name the State and, where applicable, the safeguards or the exception (art. 19 para. 4 FADP). The ten questions help.
- For a business, check the contract and the sub-processor list: documented instructions, deletion at the end of the contract, security, processing countries (art. 9 FADP; FDPIC).
- Ask in writing: an access request covers the retention period, recipients and disclosure abroad (art. 25 FADP; your rights).
Where to start today?
First step: open the privacy policy of an AI service you use and note retention, training and destination States. For Rappn, a free Swiss app (iOS and Android) that compares the current promotions of seven Swiss retailers and turns receipts into a spending overview, the privacy policy (version 2.0 of 17 April 2026, viewed on 21 October 2026) says data is processed primarily in Switzerland and the European Economic Area, with some processing possible outside, including in the United States. Rappn covers groceries, not rent, insurance or taxes. Rappn is building an AI assistant for groceries: you can join the waitlist.
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Why Rappn?
Rappn is an independent grocery price comparison app in Switzerland, with no commercial agreements with any retailer. Our comparisons are truly independent.
- 100% free: no subscription, no hidden costs
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- Updated daily, as soon as the chains publish their deals
- The chains’ deals in one place: search, filter, compare, no subscription
- Meal planner in the Kitchen tab: plan the week, send the ingredients to your list
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does ChatGPT keep my conversations?
Yes: according to OpenAI’s Help Center (viewed on 21 October 2026), regular chats stay in your account until you delete them, and after deletion OpenAI schedules permanent deletion within 30 days, unless the data is already de-identified or security or legal obligations apply. A temporary chat does not appear in your history, but a copy may be kept for up to 30 days for safety.
What does it mean that an AI does not use my data for training?
The provider does not use the content to train or improve its models, with exceptions such as your consent or feedback. It does not say how long the content is kept or who can review it for safety reasons: for OpenAI’s API, for example, abuse-monitoring logs stay for up to 30 days by default (developer page, viewed on 21 October 2026).
Does the law require data to stay in Switzerland?
Generally not: the FADP contains no duty to keep personal data in Switzerland, but sets the conditions under which it may be disclosed abroad (arts. 16 and 17 FADP; FDPIC, viewed on 21 October 2026). A duty of confidentiality, for example professional secrecy, can limit outsourcing (art. 9 para. 1 lit. b FADP). This is general information, not legal advice.
Is an AI hosted in Switzerland safer?
The location alone cannot tell you: it shows where the servers are, not who runs the service, who can access the data, how long it stays or with which safeguards. Check which data is covered, the company and its sub-processors, the processing countries and, for a business, the contract (art. 9 FADP; FDPIC).
Where does Rappn process data?
According to Rappn’s privacy policy (version 2.0 of 17 April 2026), data is processed primarily in Switzerland and the European Economic Area, with some processing possible elsewhere, including in the United States. Account data is kept for the duration of the account plus up to 12 months after closure. Rappn is building an AI assistant for groceries: the waitlist is on the site.