OpenAI just upgraded memory for ChatGPT – here's everything you need to know

OpenAI's certainly been on a roll with feature after feature and even new models – and if you thought the AI giant was going to take a break after it's new image generation tech, you're in for a surprise.

Sam Altman, OpenAI's CEO, has taken to X (formerly Twitter) to tease that a new feature is coming. The post reads: "a few times a year I wake up early and can't fall back asleep because we are launching a new feature I've been so excited about for so long. Today is one of those days!"

It certainly built up hype, and shortly after 1PM ET (10AM PT), Altman announced that the new feature – no, not a new model, but one is likely on the horizon – is improved memory for ChatGPT, which means that it is now better at remembering things about you and being able to recall it.

Altman teased it's a critical feature, one that will impact "how AI will integrate in our lives." Ahead you can read our live reporting on the news from the lead-up to some reactions.

It's worth pointing out that ChatGPT could already recall, and the AI assistant has had a memory for a bit.

Today's upgrades are exactly that: an upgrade to the existing memory, now being labeled as 'new, improved memory' by ChatGPT.

The idea is that when you ask ChatGPT for something, it can look back and reference past conversations to deliver more accurate and helpful answers to whatever your query might be. It's sort of building a Rolodex about everything you've chatted about with it to help better assist and answer any given request.

The AI can pick up on trends on its own, but you can also directly ask ChatGPT to remember something as you converse with it via typed text or when you're actually speaking in voice mode.