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Perplexity and UK GDPR

Is Perplexity safe for client data? A guide for UK firms

Perplexity Enterprise Pro can be used for client work, with the right safeguards in place. Free, Pro and Max shouldn't be: they're consumer plans, and what's typed can be used to improve Perplexity's models by default.

By Paulo De Sousa, Co-founder of SimpleKPILast checked

Perplexity plans at a glance

The same AI tool can be safe or risky, depending on the plan someone is signed in to.

Perplexity plans: contract, training and use for client data
PlanContract with your firmTrains on what's typedFor client data?
Free, Pro or MaxConsumer terms. No data processing agreement with your firm."AI data retention" is on by default, which lets Perplexity use your data to improve its models.No personal data
Enterprise ProPerplexity acts as your processor under a data processing agreement.Queries are never used for training.Yes, with safeguards

From Perplexity: data collection at Perplexity, checked 21 October 2026. Check your own plan with the AI plan checker.

The AI data retention setting

On Free, Pro and Max, a setting called "AI data retention" is switched on by default. While it's on, Perplexity can use your data to improve its models.

You can switch it off in your account settings, on the Preferences page. But opting out only applies from that point on. Data collected before you switched it off can't be removed.

So if someone has already pasted client details into a personal Perplexity account with the setting on, switching it off now doesn't take them back.

Perplexity Enterprise Pro

Enterprise Pro is the business plan. Perplexity says Enterprise data is never used to train or fine-tune its models, and for its Enterprise and API offerings it acts as a service provider or processor, under a data processing agreement.

On Enterprise, files you upload are deleted after seven days. The session itself isn't deleted unless you ask.

Before you write your records of processing, check where Perplexity stores your data and whether a UK or EU region is offered on your plan, because it decides which transfer safeguards you need.

What UK GDPR expects if you use Perplexity

  • Use a business plan that comes with a data processing agreement (the contract that covers your clients' data).
  • List Perplexity in your records of processing and your privacy notice.
  • Do a risk assessment (a DPIA) before you rely on it for client work.
  • Check the safeguards if data goes outside the UK.
  • Tell your team the rules: which plan to use, and what must never go in.

What the ICO expects when your team uses AI

Settings to change today

  • AI data retention

    On Free, Pro or Max, go to your Account settings, then the Preferences page, and switch off the AI data retention toggle. It only applies from then on, and it doesn't add a contract, so personal accounts still aren't the place for client details.

  • Sign in to your firm's Enterprise Pro account

    Make sure everyone doing client work is signed in to the firm's Enterprise Pro organisation, not a personal Free, Pro or Max account.

How Saiela helps

  • Approve the business plan your firm pays for.
  • Warn people on personal accounts, or block them.
  • Swap client details out of prompts before anything is sent.
  • See which tools and accounts your team uses, as counts, never content.

See how approved AI tools work

Questions

What firms ask about Perplexity and client data.

Does Perplexity train on my data?

On Free, Pro and Max, "AI data retention" is on by default, which lets Perplexity use your data to improve its models. On Enterprise Pro, data is never used to train or fine-tune its models.

Is Perplexity safe for business use?

Enterprise Pro is built for it: Perplexity acts as your processor under a data processing agreement, and data isn't used for training. The consumer plans aren't the right choice for client data.

Does turning off AI data retention delete my data?

No. Opting out only applies to data collected after you switch it off. Data collected before can't be removed.

How long does Perplexity Enterprise keep files?

Uploaded files are deleted after seven days. The session containing them isn't deleted unless you ask.

Do I need a DPIA to use Perplexity?

Usually. The Information Commission (ICO) says that in the vast majority of cases, using AI involves processing likely to result in a high risk, which calls for a risk assessment (a DPIA). Do it before you rely on Perplexity for client work.

Sources

Last checked 21 October 2026. Providers change their plans often. General information, not legal advice.

Paulo De Sousa

Paulo De Sousa

Co-founder of SimpleKPI

Paulo has worked in software development and SaaS for over 20 years and leads the engineering behind SimpleKPI and Saiela. He writes about how AI tools handle your data and how Saiela keeps it out of them.

Paulo on LinkedIn

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