Gemini is about to remember everything, unless you tell it not to

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You can opt out of the memory feature, or use the new Temporary Chat option if you want to make sure Gemini forgets what you say to it

Gemini Memory
(Image credit: Google)
  • Google’s Gemini AI assistant will start remembering your past chats
  • You can opt out of the feature
  • Gemini is also adding a new “Temporary Chat” mode for one-off conversations

Google Gemini will remember all those questions you ask on the app now, unless you ask it politely not to. The AI assistant will look at and reference your past chats as a way to personalize future ones, though only for Gemini 2.5 Pro for now.

With the memory function, Gemini could theoretically recall your favorite party themes, the YouTube channels you're into, or how you like to compose emails to your friends, without you having to remind it. Gemini's memory is not dissimilar to the memory feature offered by ChatGPT and other AI chatbots. And while ChatGPT can now connect to your Google account, Gemini has native access to Gmail, Calendar, and Google Docs.

The memory is on by default, so you'll have to make a slight effort if you'd rather Gemini not track your chats. You can turn the memory off or back on again in the settings menu under personal context, sliding the “Your past chats” option to off.

In addition, the “Gemini Apps Activity” section is now called “Keep Activity.” When that setting is active, some of your future uploaded files and photos may be used to train and improve Gemini and other Google services. You can opt out of that, too, if you wish.

Temp talks

Gemini Memory

(Image credit: Google)

As much as Google is eager to make sure Gemini can remember what you say to it, the company paired the rollout with its opposite, the new Temporary Chat. This incognito mode makes every conversation a one-off, and makes sure it isn't saved to your history, appears in the activity list, or sent to Google to train Gemini.

After a 72-hour hold for safety, they're they’re deleted completely, unless you submit explicit feedback, which will be processed and then discarded. Temporary Chat is designed for those moments when you want to ask something you’re not sure you’ll want remembered, whatever that might be.

The temporary chats might reassure people worried that Google just wants more of their data, but the company clearly hopes people find value in giving Gemini a memory. Google's goal is to encourage people to think of the AI as a long-term conversational partner, not just a tool you reintroduce yourself to every time you interact with it.

Regardless of any concerns, AI developers are very keen on memory, since, without it, AI assistants are just clever parrots. Technically, they still are just parroting data even with personalization, but they'll be less clever about it. Whether that’s exciting or unsettling depends on your appetite for intimacy with software.

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Eric Hal Schwartz
Eric Hal Schwartz
Contributor

Eric Hal Schwartz is a freelance writer for TechRadar with more than 15 years of experience covering the intersection of the world and technology. For the last five years, he served as head writer for Voicebot.ai and was on the leading edge of reporting on generative AI and large language models. He's since become an expert on the products of generative AI models, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, Google Gemini, and every other synthetic media tool. His experience runs the gamut of media, including print, digital, broadcast, and live events. Now, he's continuing to tell the stories people want and need to hear about the rapidly evolving AI space and its impact on their lives. Eric is based in New York City.

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