Guides4 minute read
Can you choose where your AI processes your data?
Often you can, if the service shows you. Here is what a processing country is, how it differs from storage and what to look for before you ask something personal.
The short answer
Sometimes, yes. Some model providers can process requests in more than one country or region. Whether you can choose depends on the model, the provider and the service you use to reach it.
In Souvéa, the processing country is shown in the conversation, and where a provider supports it you can change it.
Storage and processing are different
Storage is where your information is kept. Processing is where a model reads your request and builds an answer. A service can store your notes in one place and send each question somewhere else entirely.
When people say their data stays in a region, they often mean storage only. It is worth asking about both.
What a choice can look like
Depending on the model, you might see options such as Sweden, Germany or Switzerland. These are examples, not guarantees. Availability varies by model, provider and region.
- See the processing country before you ask
- Pick a different country where the model offers one
- Pick a different model if the country matters more than the model
- Use your own provider keys where that is supported
When it is worth checking
For a quick recipe idea it rarely matters. For a health question, a contract, a client project or something about your family, it is basic information you might want to have in front of you.
Visibility is not a legal guarantee. It gives you the facts so you can decide for yourself.
