Selective Memory
What is Selective Memory?
Selective Memory gives users explicit control over what AI remembers, forgets, or ignores. Instead of opaque memory, the system provides transparent controls to view, edit, or delete stored information. It's essential for personal assistants, conversational systems, or tools building context over time. Examples include ChatGPT's memory settings for viewing and deleting memories, Google Assistant's activity controls, or Replika marking conversations as temporary.
Problem
AI systems remember information without user visibility or control, risking privacy issues and inappropriate responses based on outdated or sensitive context.
Solution
Provide transparent memory controls letting users view, categorize (important/temporary/forget), and understand how stored information influences AI responses.
Real-World Examples
Implementation
AI Design Prompt
Guidelines & Considerations
Implementation Guidelines
Provide a clear, searchable interface for users to view all information the AI has stored about them
Allow granular control to mark memories as important, temporary, or to be forgotten
Implement 'forget this' commands that immediately remove information from AI context
Show visual indicators when AI is using stored context to inform its responses
Enable bulk memory management with categories like 'work', 'personal', 'temporary'
Provide memory export functionality so users can backup or transfer their AI's context
Design Considerations
Complexity of maintaining conversation quality when users selectively remove context
Risk of AI making mistakes when critical context is forgotten or temporarily ignored
Storage and retrieval efficiency when managing large amounts of selective memory data
User understanding of how selective forgetting impacts AI response quality
Privacy implications of storing memory metadata even after content is deleted
Balance between giving users control and preventing fragmented or incoherent AI behavior