ChatGPT’s AI ‘memory’ can remember the preferences of paying customers

OpenAI announced the Memory feature that allows ChatGPT to store queries, prompts, and other customizations more permanently in February. At the time, it was only available to a “small portion” of users, but now it’s available for ChatGPT Plus paying subscribers outside of Europe or Korea.

ChatGPT’s Memory works in two ways to make the chatbot’s responses more personalized. The first is by letting you tell ChatGPT to remember certain details, and the second is by learning from conversations similar to other algorithms in our apps. Memory brings ChatGPT closer to being a better AI assistant. Once it remembers your preferences, it can include them without needing a reminder.

As The Verge’s David Pierce pointed out, some users can find it creepy if chatbots know them in this way, so OpenAI has said users will always have control over what ChatGPT retains (and what is used for additional training).

OpenAI writes in a blog post that in a change from the earlier test, now ChatGPT will tell users when memories are updated. Users can manage what ChatGPT remembers by reviewing what the chatbot took from conversations and even making ChatGPT “forget” unwanted details.

OpenAI’s examples of uses for Memory include:

You’ve explained that you prefer meeting notes to have headlines, bullets and action items summarized at the bottom. ChatGPT remembers this and recaps meetings this way.

You’ve told ChatGPT you own a neighborhood coffee shop. When brainstorming messaging for a social post celebrating a new location, ChatGPT knows where to start. 

You mention that you have a toddler and that she loves jellyfish. When you ask ChatGPT to help create her birthday card, it suggests a jellyfish wearing a party hat. 

As a kindergarten teacher with 25 students, you prefer 50-minute lessons with follow-up activities. ChatGPT remembers this when helping you create lesson plans.

ChatGPT could always recall details during active conversations; for example, if you ask the chatbot to draft an email, you can immediately follow it up with “make it more professional,” and it will remember that you were talking about email. But if you wait long enough or start a new conversation, that all goes out the window. 

OpenAI did not say why Memory will not be available in Europe or Korea. The company says Memory will roll out to subscribers to ChatGPT Enterprise and Teams, as well as custom GPTs on the GPT Store, but did not specify when.