I've come across this process called "ChatGPTHelper" on my Mac that starts on its own when I boot up my computer and stays active even when I'm not using ChatGPT. What's even weirder is that it restarts itself if I try to quit it manually. It seems to be sending a small amount of data too, which makes me curious and a bit concerned. If anyone wants to check it out, just open the Activity Monitor, go to the Network tab, and search for "ChatGPTHelper". I'd love to hear if others are having the same experience and if there's a way to get rid of it. I've seen similar processes before, like Steam's IPCserver, which can be removed by editing some files. I feel like this might be a bit invasive, and I'm not comfortable with OpenAI running a process on my machine that I can't control.
3 Answers
This isn’t normal behavior at all! OpenAI’s tools should run in-browser and shouldn’t need background processes like this. A rogue app might be messing with your data. I suggest checking your startup programs to see if it’s set to launch automatically, and definitely consider running a thorough malware scan to be safe.
Yeah, I totally get your concern. I encountered the same thing with ChatGPTHelper. It’s odd how it runs all the time and can’t be killed normally. It’s definitely sketchy when software behaves like malware. Have you tried checking where it's installed or running a malware scan? You should definitely look into that.
I haven't moved into the malware scan yet, but I will! What should I look for to ensure it's legit?
Honestly, the fact that it keeps coming back after you try to quit it is a major red flag. This sounds like it could be data mining or at least a bad practice. I’d suggest removing anything suspicious from your apps and extensions too. Just be cautious - you never know what these apps are really doing in the background!
Definitely taking this more seriously now. Thanks for the heads-up!
Thanks for the advice! I’ll check my startup settings right now.