The ChatGPT Experiment – Ep 83

"Memory in ChatGPT: What Is it And How's It Work?"

Host: Cary Weston
Date: August 25, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Cary Weston demystifies the “memory” feature in ChatGPT—what it is, how it works, and how you can control and use it to your advantage. He explains the distinction between memory, chat history, and custom instructions, while offering actionable prompts and strategies for curious beginners and frequent users alike. Drawing from both OpenAI’s policies and his own hands-on experience, Cary ensures listeners walk away understanding how to get ChatGPT to better support their personal and professional goals.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What is Memory in ChatGPT?

Timestamp: 03:45

• Memory distinguishes paid from free ChatGPT:
  • "Memory is only available in paid versions, not free."
• Without memory, every conversation is a clean slate; with memory, ChatGPT remembers key facts across all your chats.
• Analogy:
  • It's like going to a café where the barista remembers your regular order (not every detail, just the important stuff).
• Memory ≠ Chat History:
  • "Chat history is just a log. Memory is more like a notebook of details ChatGPT thinks are useful."

2. What Does ChatGPT Decide to Remember?

Timestamp: 08:09

• ChatGPT automatically tries to remember:
  • Your name
  • Your role/profession
  • Projects/goals you mention
  • Your preferred styles and formats (e.g., bullet points or long-form)
• It's not perfect and sometimes grabs info that's not actually about you (e.g., if using it for client work).

3. Controlling What ChatGPT Remembers (and Forgets)

Timestamp: 12:00

• You can explicitly instruct ChatGPT:
  • “Please remember this…” or “Forget this, don't remember…”
• “You're not stuck with what ChatGPT thinks is important. You have control over this. You get to curate it.” – Cary Weston [12:35]
• In the paid version, use the "Manage Memory" panel in Settings under Personalization to directly view, edit, and delete saved memories.

4. Exercises to Understand and Manage Your Memory

Timestamp: 14:20

• Prompt Idea:
  • “Tell me what you know about me personally and professionally.”
  • Helps uncover what ChatGPT “thinks” it knows about you; may reveal facts, assumptions, and observational guesses.
• Navigating Settings:
  • Go to Settings → Personalization → Manage Memories. Review and delete as needed.
• Use ongoing dialogue to correct or add missed details:
  • "In your memory, I see this. This is incorrect."
  • "You forgot this. Please add it."

5. Editing, Prioritizing, and Cleaning Up Memory

Timestamp: 17:30

• Regularly check memory to ensure it aligns with your current needs and role.
• When you get a “memory is full” warning:
  • "Memory is limited, like a notebook with a fixed number of pages. It prunes less relevant or older notes to make space." [18:12]
• Proactively mark which details are high-priority or can be safely pruned later.

6. Limitations: Documents, Depth, and Context

Timestamp: 20:05

• ChatGPT does NOT store or remember the content of full documents.
  • "If you want anything to be remembered... you’ve got to literally tell it what you want to be remembered." – Cary [20:24]
• Memory is more about context and patterns, not storage of files or lengthy texts.
• Use “Projects” (for document uploads and project-specific context) as an additional tool.

7. Memory vs. Custom Instructions

Timestamp: 22:03

• Custom Instructions:
  • Under Settings, acts as a permanent set of facts and preferences—name, profession, how you want ChatGPT to respond, tone, etc.
  • "Custom instructions are the fixed rules. Memory is kind of evolving notes." [22:37]
• Best Practice:
  • Use custom instructions for evergreen, always-true facts; use memory for ongoing, flexible context.
  • "Memory will usually win if there's a conflict because it's the most recent."

8. Disabling or Limiting Memory

Timestamp: 24:16

• You can disable memory entirely in Personalization settings—even in a paid account.
• "If you don't want any of this, you do not have to do this. You can go into temporary mode." [24:25]

9. Strategic Use: Memory, Projects, and Custom GPTs

Timestamp: 25:09

• Projects allow for granular organization, combining custom instructions, document uploads, and memory.
  • E.g., a project for managing LinkedIn posts with its own rules and materials.
• Custom GPTs:
  • They use memory and instructions unless specifically told not to. You can override to ignore memory/custom instructions if needed.

10. Weekly Routines, Best Practices, and 'Trust but Verify'

Timestamp: 27:24

• Cary uses memory in weekly sessions (brainstorming, personal assistant, planning partner), having ChatGPT track and remind him of ongoing goals.
• "At the conclusion of the session, I copy and paste that into a note... I want to trust, but verify." – Cary [27:41]
• Advises regular memory checkups, especially if using ChatGPT for multiple clients or projects to avoid cross-contamination of details.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Memory is what ChatGPT itself has deemed worth remembering... And that’s important to say here as well, is that if you've got a number of different conversations going, it doesn't just remember from one conversation, it will remember from across.”
  — Cary Weston [06:30]
• “You're not stuck with what ChatGPT thinks is important. You have control over this. You get to curate it.”
  — Cary Weston [12:35]
• “Chat history is just a log. Memory is more like a notebook of details ChatGPT thinks are useful.”
  — Cary Weston [05:08]
• “Custom instructions are the fixed rules. Memory is kind of evolving notes.”
  — Cary Weston [22:37]
• “At the conclusion of a session, I copy and paste [my agenda and notes] into a note. Not because ChatGPT's not going to remember, but I want to verify—trust but verify.”
  — Cary Weston [27:41]

Important Timestamps

| Time | Segment | |-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:45 | What memory is & why it’s a paid feature | | 05:08 | Distinguishing chat history and memory | | 06:30 | Memory’s process for deciding what to retain | | 08:09 | Specific things ChatGPT tries to remember | | 12:00 | How to tell ChatGPT what to remember or forget | | 14:20 | Key exercises: discovering what memory has stored | | 17:30 | Deleting, editing, and curating your memory | | 18:12 | What happens when memory is full? | | 20:05 | Why memory doesn’t store full documents | | 22:03 | Custom instructions vs. memory: best practices | | 24:16 | Turning memory off and using temporary mode | | 25:09 | Layering: projects, documents, custom GPTs, and memory | | 27:24 | Weekly routines, trust but verify, memory’s role in ongoing planning | | 27:41 | Copy/paste as a verification method |

Flow & Tone

Cary’s style is warm, practical, and occasionally anecdotal, favoring analogies and step-by-step instructions. He balances technical explanations with relatable metaphors, making complex AI concepts feel accessible and non-threatening—consistent with his signature, “Stay Curious” motto.

Summary Table: Core Memory Functions

| Feature | What it Does | How to Control | |------------------|-----------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| | Memory | Remembers select facts & context over time | Via settings / direct chat prompts | | Custom Instructions | Stores definitive, permanent user info | Edit under Personalization in settings | | Projects | Houses project-specific docs/instructions | Set up individual projects | | Chat History | Records all chats, does not "remember" facts | Cannot be edited |

Takeaways

• Paid ChatGPT unlocks memory, making your AI more helpful over time.
• You have significant control: Actively review, edit, and prioritize what ChatGPT remembers.
• Combine memory, projects, and custom instructions for nuanced, effective use.
• Memory is evolving: Use regular check-ins and “trust, but verify” procedures.
• Disabling memory or going “temporary” is always an option.
• Be vigilant if you manage work for multiple clients/projects; curate memory to prevent mix-ups.

For more resources or to book a workshop:

Visit chatgptexperiment.com

“Your curiosity is the most important. So until we talk soon, be curious.”
— Cary Weston [29:20]