Personal information
Also: personally identifiable information, PII, personal data
Data about a person who can be identified. Which privacy rules apply depends on the data, its use, and the law.
The fuller definition
Personal information is information about an identifiable individual. Privacy statutes regulate its collection, use, and disclosure, including when it passes through an AI service.
- Your computer
- Model running on it
- Answer stays on it
Confidentiality depends on the machine and anything else connected to it.
- Your computer
- Provider's servers
- Storage, logs, possibly training
- Answer returned
Confidentiality depends on the contract, the account tier, and the settings in force.
Neither route is safe by default. The question is the same for both: who can see the material, where is it kept, and for how long.
A concrete example
A witness statement containing names, addresses, and health details is personal information whether or not it is also confidential to the client.
The distinction that matters
The applicable privacy law determines coverage, exceptions and permitted use. A generic definition does not decide whether a particular upload is lawful.
Related terms
Confidentiality
Keeping private material from people who may not see it. Check who can read, store, or share what you put into a tool.
Reliability & securityData retention
How long a service keeps your data after it has been used.
Documents & retrievalRedaction and de-identification
Removing private details before sharing a file. A black box on a page may hide text without deleting it.
Where it is taught
Map where information goes before using a toolSource and further reading
PIPEDA — definition and application; other laws may applyThe definition and example are written for this library. The link gives background, official documentation or legal authority as labelled. Legal scope depends on the jurisdiction and current text; product features depend on release and settings.