Selective Memory
Problem
AI systems remember and use information without giving users visibility or control over what's stored. Users can't selectively forget sensitive information or temporarily exclude context that's no longer relevant, leading to privacy concerns and potentially inappropriate responses.
Solution
Provide transparent memory management interfaces where users can view all stored information, selectively mark memories as important, temporary, or to be forgotten, and see exactly when and how the AI uses stored context in its responses.
Examples in the Wild
Interactive Code Example
Implementation & 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