Grok’s Memory Feature Takes Aim at ChatGPT But Divides Users: ‘Transparency Matters’

xAI’s Grok 3 chatbot can now remember conversations you’ve had with it, allowing it to provide more personalized responses to requests for recommendations or advice. The chatbot is available to users of the X social media platform owned by Elon Musk, who also owns xAI, which announced the feature update in a post on the official company account. If a user mentions their fitness routine, for example, Grok can later suggest a workout plan tailored to historical habits.

What makes Grok’s memory feature different from memory features of other AI models?

“Memories are transparent,” the company wrote in a follow-up post. “You can see exactly what Grok knows and choose what to forget.” This “transparency” and the user control it provides distinguish the memory feature from similar features in competitor chatbots. ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini also offer memory features, but the companies have faced criticism for their data handling. ChatGPT’s memory feature—recently upgraded to remember and reference entire chat histories — does not provide the same granular control over individual memories that Grok offers. 

xAI also plans to introduce a feature called the “forget” button for Grok users on Android OS that allows users to exclude specific chats from its memory. Users can toggle the memory feature on or off via Data Controls settings, providing an additional layer of control amid growing concerns about AI privacy.  

In a recent report, the European Data Protection Board warned that AI systems retaining sensitive data can pose privacy risks if not managed carefully.

What are users saying about this new feature?

The announcement sparked varied responses from X users, reflecting broader discussions about AI personalization and privacy. Some posters praised the feature. “I was wondering about this when Grok included details about me that I had not told it in that chat, but a different one,” @ExtrovertedNerd wrote.

Not all users agreed. “I don’t want to live in a curated bubble of my own,” wrote @seitenwender42. “I want cutting-edge information, not some drivel to cuddle me.”

xAI plans to expand the memory feature to Grok on the X platform soon, further integrating it into users’ daily interactions. As AI chatbots evolve, Grok’s focus on transparency and user control could set a new benchmark for balancing personalization with privacy in the competitive AI landscape.

Read this eWeek guide about Grok 3’s pricing and benchmarks, as well as this article about how Grok 3 generated incorrect news citations 94% of the time when tested.
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