OpenAI is stepping up ChatGPT’s personalization game with a new memory upgrade that automatically stores conversation details—even without a prompt to do so.
In a recent post on X, CEO Sam Altman shared the news, noting, “This is a surprisingly great feature imo,” and hinting at a broader vision of AI that evolves with users over time. The update, which was first spotted by The Verge, marks a big step toward more personalized, long-term interactions with the chatbot.
This isn’t OpenAI’s first move in this direction. Back in 2023, the company introduced custom instructions, allowing users to feed ChatGPT preferences it would remember, like family size for meal planning. Then in early 2024, users could start telling the bot directly what to remember. With the newest version, ChatGPT not only stores what you tell it—it also picks up key details on its own from the flow of your conversations.
According to OpenAI, “The more you use ChatGPT, the more useful it becomes,” with new chats drawing from past knowledge to make interactions smoother and more relevant. Right now, the memory update is rolling out to users on the $20/month Plus plan and the $200/month Pro tier. Those using Team, Enterprise, or Edu plans can expect access in the coming weeks. There’s no word yet on when free users will see the change.
For those who’d rather keep things private, memory can be turned off in the settings. If it’s disabled, ChatGPT won’t pull from prior chats by default. There’s also the option to launch a Temporary Chat—perfect for one-off questions or sensitive topics you’d rather not save.
