Privacy & Data Notice

Last updated: July 2026

BioBuddy is a pilot AI assistant for the CSI Biology Department, currently in beta. This page describes, in plain language, what happens to what you type here. It reflects what the application actually does today — not a generic template.

You don't need to log in

BioBuddy doesn't ask for your name, CUNY ID, or email to use the chat. Each browser tab gets a random session identifier that isn't linked to your CUNY identity in any way, and it's held only in that tab — it disappears if you refresh the page or start a "New Conversation."

What happens to your messages

Your message is sent to Groq, a third-party AI company, so it can generate a response. Groq's current terms state it does not use this data to train its models, and does not retain it by default — it may keep it briefly (up to 30 days) only to investigate technical problems or abuse.
If you ask BioBuddy to read a response aloud, the response text (not your original question) is sent to Google Cloud for text-to-speech only.
Your conversation history is held in server memory for up to 30 minutes of inactivity, then automatically and permanently deleted. It's also cleared immediately if you start a new conversation, and entirely wiped whenever the app is updated.

What's kept longer-term

A small amount of technical information is kept temporarily to help us improve BioBuddy — for example, questions it couldn't answer, or thumbs-up/thumbs-down feedback. Names, emails, and similar identifying details are automatically stripped out of this before it's stored. None of it is kept permanently — it's cleared every time the application is updated, which happens regularly.

Your IP address is used automatically, briefly, for basic abuse prevention (like blocking bots that send too many requests) — it is not linked to your identity or stored long-term as part of your conversation.

If you mention that you're in danger or crisis

This chat is not actively monitored by a staff member in real time. If your message suggests you may be in danger or going through a mental health crisis, BioBuddy will immediately show you emergency and crisis resources (such as 988, the CSI Counseling Center, CSI Public Safety, and 911) — but no one is automatically alerted to what you wrote. If you are in danger or crisis, please contact those resources directly rather than waiting for a reply here.

BioBuddy isn't your official advisor

BioBuddy is an informational tool, not a substitute for your academic advisor or the relevant CSI office. For anything with real consequences — degree requirements, registration, financial aid, immigration status, disability accommodations, academic standing, or medical questions — always confirm directly with the responsible office before acting on what BioBuddy tells you.

What we don't do

We don't sell your data or use it for advertising.
We don't require a CUNY login, so BioBuddy itself has no way to build a profile tied to your identity.

Questions, or want something deleted?

Contact Dr. Jimmie Fata at jimmie.fata@csi.cuny.edu with any privacy questions, or to request that any stored information about your use of BioBuddy be located and deleted.