OpenAI announced two moves on Tuesday, introducing a privacy feature that lets ChatGPT users lock conversations and acquiring AI biotech software startup Orchestra Bio to support its life sciences ambitions.
The new Locked Chats feature allows users to protect sensitive conversations with a four-digit PIN, or with Face ID or Touch ID on supported devices. Unlike Temporary Chats, which run as separate sessions outside chat history, locked conversations can be revisited at any time. OpenAI said the feature is intended for situations such as discussing personal matters or planning a surprise, where users may hand their device to friends or family.
Locked conversations move to a dedicated section, separate from regular history, pinned chats and search results. When Memory is enabled, the section keeps its own shared memory, so new information from locked chats does not carry into regular conversations. OpenAI noted that locking does not provide end-to-end encryption or a separate encrypted vault, alter how long chats are retained, remove information remembered before locking, or change the model improvement setting. Resetting a PIN permanently deletes all content protected by the previous one.
The option is not available for temporary, archived, group or shared-link chats, or those with scheduled tasks or meeting recordings. Locked Chats is rolling out to Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu users, but not ChatGPT for Healthcare. The addition comes as ChatGPT is increasingly used for personal conversations, though it does not address broader concerns about how sensitive data is stored.
In other company news, OpenAI acquired Orchestra Bio, a four-year-old startup that builds AI agents to help biotech companies handle drug discovery operations, from tracking finances to resolving clinical trial scheduling. Terms were not disclosed, though Orchestra had reportedly raised around $20 million as of 2025 from investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Atria and 8VC.
OpenAI said Orchestra’s team and technology will support Rosalind, its AI model for life sciences research, and the related Rosalind Workbench, a harness designed to help researchers plan experiments and analyze results. The company said Rosalind customers include Moderna and Novo Nordisk.
The deal reflects how leading AI labs, notably OpenAI and Anthropic, are building more software for major industries such as pharmaceuticals. While startups have long feared that the labs could become direct competitors, Orchestra is being absorbed rather than displaced.
