ChatGPT Just Got A Whole Lot More Personal & Sam Altman's Pretty 'Excited' About It: Here's Why
ChatGPT users on paid plans — specifically Pro and Plus subscribers — will begin to see the new memory capability show up.
OpenAI is making a major leap toward hyper-personalized AI with its latest upgrade to ChatGPT — a new memory feature that allows the chatbot to recall what users have said in past conversations. It’s not just a smarter assistant anymore; it’s one that remembers you.
From Conversations to Context: What the Update Means
Starting this week, ChatGPT users on paid plans — specifically Pro and Plus subscribers — will begin to see the new memory capability show up under “reference saved memories” in their settings. With this update, the AI model will be able to weave previous chats into future interactions, enhancing how it responds across text, voice, and even image-based queries.
"This is a surprisingly great feature imo," tweeted OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. "It points at something we are excited about: AI systems that get to know you over your life, and become extremely useful and personalized."
we have greatly improved memory in chatgpt--it can now reference all your past conversations!
— Sam Altman (@sama) April 10, 2025
this is a surprisingly great feature imo, and it points at something we are excited about: ai systems that get to know you over your life, and become extremely useful and personalized.
While this move opens the door to more intuitive conversations, not everyone will welcome an AI that never forgets. Fortunately, OpenAI is providing users with options to manage how much memory the chatbot retains — or even opt out entirely.
Who’s Getting It First — And Who’s Left Waiting
For now, the memory feature is being rolled out gradually to paying users — with some exceptions. Those located in the U.K., EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland will have to wait longer, as OpenAI works through additional regulatory reviews to meet local compliance standards.
As for free-tier users, there’s no word yet on when (or if) they’ll gain access. “We are focused on the rollout to paid tiers for now,” an OpenAI spokesperson told TechCrunch.
The update draws comparisons to Google’s Gemini, which introduced a memory feature back in February. However, OpenAI’s latest move goes a step further by automating what was previously a manual process.
Privacy Concerns? You’re Still in Control
Even as AI becomes more personal, OpenAI says privacy won’t be an afterthought. Users can head to ChatGPT settings to disable memory entirely or review and delete specific saved memories. There’s also the option to use a “Temporary Chat” for conversations that won't be stored — offering a little peace of mind for those wary of long-term data retention.
Previously, users had to prompt ChatGPT to remember or forget certain details explicitly. This new rollout removes that friction, allowing memory to work in the background by default — at least for those who had it switched on already.
With this move, OpenAI seems to be signaling a future where AI isn’t just reactive — it’s a continuous companion, one chat at a time.
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