Zhipu AI Introduces Opt-In Zero Data Retention for Its MaaS Platform
Zhipu AI has announced an opt-in zero data retention mechanism for its MaaS platform, allowing enterprise and developer users to prevent static storage of their input prompts and model outputs. Data will only be processed transiently for the duration of the single API call, except when persistent storage is explicitly required by specific features or legal compliance. This update addresses growing privacy concerns and aligns Zhipu AI with international cloud providers offering zero data retention policies for sensitive enterprise workloads. It also helps reassure developers following recent community controversies surrounding code privacy in Zhipu's ZCode tool. The zero data retention policy does not apply to services like Batch API or File API that inherently require persistent task storage, nor does it override legal obligations where data may be retained for 30 days or more for compliance audits. Enterprise users must explicitly submit an application through the MaaS console to enable the zero-retention setting.
## BACKGROUND
Model-as-a-Service (MaaS) allows developers and enterprises to access machine learning models via cloud APIs without maintaining dedicated infrastructure. Zero Data Retention (ZDR) is a privacy configuration in cloud LLM services where prompt inputs and model outputs are deleted immediately after generating a response rather than logged for training or telemetry. This setup is crucial for organizations handling proprietary source code, regulated enterprise data, or strict compliance requirements.