Highlights

• ChatGPT to remember user instructions for tailored interactions.
• Memory feature available to both free and paid ChatGPT users.
• Strict privacy protocols ensure user data is safeguarded.
• Temporary Chat option for privacy-conscious conversations.

OpenAI has introduced a new set of memory features to ChatGPT which, in a nutshell, means that the AI chatbot is finally going to remember specific instructions you tell it to.

It will retain information from conversations and is likely to enrich future discussions.

OpenAI explains in a blog post: 

“ChatGPT can now carry what it learns between chats, allowing it to provide more relevant responses … As you chat with ChatGPT, you can ask it to remember something specific or let it pick up details itself.

ChatGPT’s memory will get better the more you use it and you’ll start to notice the improvements over time.”

It’s not hard to picture scenarios where a ChatGPT with memory could come in handy.

If, say, you wanted ChatGPT to recall you live in the suburbs and so prefer driving versus public transit directions, you can simply tell it that fact (e.g. “Remember that I live in the suburbs and mostly drive.”).

Or if you wanted its advice about child-rearing to pertain to younger kids because you have a kindergartner, you could highlight this for it (e.g. “Remember I have a kindergartner.”).

“You can also turn it off entirely. We are rolling out to a small portion of ChatGPT free and Plus users this week to learn how useful it is. We will share plans for broader roll out soon,“ OpenAI said in a statement.

“ChatGPT’s memory will get better the more you use it and you’ll start to notice the improvements over time”.

The users can turn off memory at any time. While memory is off, they won’t create or use memories.

“If you want ChatGPT to forget something, just tell it. You can also view and delete specific memories or clear all memories in settings,” the company informed.

If you’d like to have a conversation without using memory, use temporary chat.

“Temporary chats won’t appear in history, won’t use memory, and won’t be used to train our models,” said the company.

GPTs will have their own distinct memory. Builders will have the option to enable memory for their GPTs.

“Like your chats, memories are not shared with builders. To interact with a memory-enabled GPT, you will also need to have memory on,” said OpenAI.

Key Features and User Control

This new memory feature will be accessible to both free and paid users of ChatGPT.

Users will get the ability to command the AI to remember or forget specific details, ensuring an interaction that respects user preferences and privacy.

For users seeking more direct control over this feature, OpenAI has provided options within the Settings under Personalisation and Manage Memory, where information can be edited or the feature turned off entirely.

A key aspect of this feature is the strict privacy protocol ensuring that memories are not shared between users and builders or between individual bots.

Each GPT will maintain its separate Memory, safeguarding user data.

It is clear that OpenAI has put privacy at the forefront of this new update.

Temporary Chat and Global Roll-out

There’s also going to be a Temporary Chat option, offering users the ability to engage in conversations without the memory feature, akin to using an incognito mode in web browsing.

This ensures that certain interactions do not influence future conversations or contribute to the training of OpenAI’s LLMs, providing users with flexibility and control over their privacy.

ChatGPT and Contextual Memory

This innovation is part of OpenAI’s continuous efforts to enhance its large language models (LLM) and a gradual rollout of this feature is currently underway, targeting ChatGPT users and Plus subscribers.

Previously, OpenAI introduced Custom Instructions, allowing users to tailor ChatGPT responses according to personal preferences or requirements.

Here are examples of what you can now ask ChatGPT to remember

If you tell ChatGPT that you prefer meeting notes with bolded headlines and information in bulleted format, ChatGPT will remember and recap meetings that way.

Let the bot know that your child likes sea otters and the color purple, and it may just generate a purple birthday card with a sea otter illustration when you ask it to create a birthday card.

The new feature is also helpful for businesses.

ChatGPT can be used to remember your tone, voice, and format preferences.

Memories in the ChatGPT “workspace” are excluded from training AI models, the company says.

GPTs — or customized chatbots that users can create — will also have a distinct memory.

With memory enabled, Book GPT (which recommends your next book) will remember your preferences, like favorite genres, and will tailor recommendations based on that information.

FAQs

What are the new ChatGPT Memory Features introduced by OpenAI?

OpenAI has launched memory features for ChatGPT, enabling the AI to retain information from user interactions.

This allows for more personalized and context-aware conversations, enhancing the overall user experience.

How can users control the ChatGPT Memory Features?

Users have the option to directly command ChatGPT to remember or forget specific details.

Additionally, settings for managing memory preferences, including turning off the feature, are accessible within the ChatGPT interface under Personalisation and Manage Memory.

Are the ChatGPT Memory Features secure?

Yes, OpenAI has implemented strict privacy protocols to ensure that memories are not shared between users and bot builders, or among individual bots. Each GPT maintains its separate memory, ensuring user data privacy.

What is the Temporary Chat feature in ChatGPT?

Temporary Chat allows users to interact with ChatGPT without utilizing the memory feature, similar to an incognito mode in web browsers.

This option ensures that certain interactions don’t affect future conversations or contribute to the training of OpenAI’s LLMs.

When will the ChatGPT Memory Features be available to users?

The memory features are rolling out gradually to ChatGPT users, including both free and Plus subscribers.

OpenAI plans to extend these features to a broader audience in future updates.

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