Do custom instructions influence what ChatGPT remembers, or do the memories that ChatGPT retains affect how it interprets and applies custom instructions?
#Bio feature and custom instruction..
broken rock
topaz lavaBOT
Hi @broken rock. I'm kapa.ai, your friendly support bot. I will try to answer your question by searching through the knowledge base. :wave:
Custom Instructions and Memory in ChatGPT are two distinct features that serve different purposes, but they can work together to influence the AI's responses.
Custom Instructions allow you to provide direct guidance to ChatGPT on what you'd like it to know about you and how you'd like it to respond. These instructions are added to new conversations and can influence the output from plugins as well as the core ChatGPT generations[^1^][^2^]. They are available on all plans and can be modified or removed anytime for future conversations[^4^][^5^].
On the other hand, Memory is a feature that allows ChatGPT to remember details between chats, providing more relevant responses over time[^3^]. The memory feature works similarly to custom instructions, but the models are trained to update the memories rather than requiring users to manage them[^3^]. You can control ChatGPT’s memory by resetting it, clearing specific or all memories, or turning this feature off entirely in your settings[^3^].
While custom instructions can guide the AI's responses, the memories that ChatGPT retains do not directly affect how it interprets and applies custom instructions. However, the information remembered by ChatGPT can influence the context of the conversation and thus indirectly influence how the AI applies the custom instructions.
It's also worth noting that if you'd like to have a conversation without memory, you can use the Temporary Chat feature. In a Temporary Chat, ChatGPT won't be aware of previous conversations or access memories, but it will still follow your custom instructions if they're enabled[^6^][^7^].
^1^]: [Is memory different from Custom Instructions? (https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8983151-is-memory-different-from-custom-instructions)
^2^]: [Do custom instructions influence the output from plugins or only the core ChatGPT generations? (https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8096356-custom-instructions-for-chatgpt#h_cc4058d248)
^3^]: [Memory FAQ (https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8590148-memory-faq)
^4^]: [Custom instructions for ChatGPT (https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8096356-custom-instructions-for-chatgpt)
^5^]: [What is the benefit of using custom instructions? (https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8096356-custom-instructions-for-chatgpt#h_50e56363e4)
^6^]: [Temporary Chat FAQ (https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8914046-temporary-chat-faq)
^7^]: [Temporary Chats on the ChatGPT macOS app (https://help.openai.com/en/articles/9295248-temporary-chats-on-the-chatgpt-macos-app)
Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon:
broken rock
@topaz lava Can you walk me through how ChatGPT’s memory works? I’m curious about how it decides what to keep in mind and how it uses that information when we talk again.
topaz lavaBOT
Let me check the knowledge base for you. One moment! :books:
ChatGPT's memory feature allows it to remember details between chats, which helps it provide more relevant responses over time. Here's a brief overview of how it works:
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Storing Information: As you chat with ChatGPT, it can remember details and preferences from your conversations. For example, if you tell ChatGPT, "Remember that I am vegetarian when you recommend a recipe," it will store this information for future interactions[^1^][^3^][^4^][^5^].
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Using Information: The stored memories are used to inform future conversations. For instance, if ChatGPT remembers that you're a vegetarian, it might suggest vegetarian recipes when you ask for food recommendations[^1^][^3^][^4^][^5^].
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Updating Information: The model has been trained to manage memories, including intelligently updating pre-existing memories, consolidating memories where appropriate, and forgetting memories when instructed by the user[^3^].
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Control Over Memory: You're in control of ChatGPT's memory. You can reset it, clear specific or all memories, or turn this feature off entirely in your settings. If you'd like to have a conversation without memory, you can use the Temporary Chat feature[^1^][^3^][^4^][^5^].
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Memory Retention: Memories are kept separately from your chat history. This means that even if a chat is over or has been deleted, the memories created during that conversation can still be used in future interactions. If you ask the model to forget a memory, that memory will be removed from the "notepad" and will not be used when responding to conversations moving forward[^8^][^9^].
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Memory and Custom Instructions: Memory works similarly to Custom Instructions, except that the models are trained to update the memories rather than requiring users to manage them[^3^][^10^].
Remember, the memory feature is designed to make your interactions with ChatGPT more personalized and helpful. However, it's important to note that the memory feature is not available to all users and GPTs yet, and it's not available for users located in Europe and Korea[^1^][^3^][^4^][^5^].