Zenn guide: drop ChatGPT and Claude desktop apps for browser

The series opens by noting that news of data leaks has been frequent lately, and that some people suspect AI is involved. That framing explains why the first installment skips straight to the most basic habit rather than advanced settings. The core argument is that avoiding personal information is not enough on its own, because the risk comes from how the AI tool reaches your machine, not only from what you type into it.

The distinction the series draws is between running on your own PC and running in a disposable box on the AI company's servers. Desktop apps sit in the first category, which is why the series treats them as the starting point: the app can fetch files from inside the PC when the AI asks. Browser and phone use sit in the second, where code runs and files are created inside that box. The series adds that anything you paste in still reaches the box and cannot be taken back, which is why it also advises checking services before connecting them and choosing only selected photos when granting access.

The recommended fix is deliberately small: remove the desktop app and switch to the browser. The series says this alone means that even an accidental approval does not give the AI access to your PC. It closes by suggesting readers get comfortable with the convenience of the box, and teases a follow-up for those who still want to run something on their own machine.