40% of VPN users say they're trying to block AI companies from collecting their data — but does a VPN actually help?

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As AI tools become part of everyday life, many people are rethinking their online privacy. A new survey from All About Cookies found that 40% of VPN users say they now use a virtual private network (VPN) specifically to protect their data from AI companies.It's an understandable concern. Every time you interact with an AI chatbot, upload a document or generate an image, you're sharing information with an online service. But there's one important catch: while a VPN is a great privacy tool, it probably doesn't protect your AI data in the way many people think it does.Here's what you need to know.Why people are turning to VPNsAccording to All About Cookies' annual VPN survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, concerns about AI are beginning to influence how people think about online privacy.The survey found that:40% of VPN users say they use a VPN to protect their data from AI companies.19% use a VPN when accessing AI tools.For that reason alone, it's no surprise that VPN awareness has risen sharply over the past year. At the same time, very few respondents correctly identified everything a VPN actually does. Perhaps that last finding may explain the first.What a VPN actually does