Google on Tuesday rolled out a brand new AI feature for its Gemini products that some users will surely enjoy. Gemini can now store memories about you to offer better responses and assistance, just like ChatGPT does. The feature is called “Saved Info” vs. “Memory” for ChatGPT, but it works similarly.
Also, just like OpenAI, Google won’t make the memory feature available to Gemini users on the free tier. You’ll have to get a Gemini Advanced subscription, which is the equivalent of ChatGPT Plus and costs $20.
Unlike OpenAI, Google also offers cloud storage with your paid Advanced membership, and plenty of it. You’re subscribing to the most expensive Google One tier, which includes Google Advanced access.
Google announced the feature on X and posted additional details about the Saved Info feature on the Gemini updates page.
Before dropping the Memory feature, OpenAI launched Custom Instructions for ChatGPT, a way for users to customize how the chatbot works. This was the first version of a memory feature, as you could tell ChatGPT to remember information about you before formulating its response.
The Memory feature builds on that, further allowing ChatGPT to save information about you when you deem it necessary. This will reduce the need to repeat the same set of instructions for similar questions.
That’s how Gemini’s Saved Info feature will work. Google explains:
Starting today, you can ask Gemini to remember your interests and preferences, whether it’s about your work, your hobbies, or your general aspirations in life. This helps Gemini provide even more helpful and relevant responses, tailored precisely to your needs. Think of it as giving Gemini a user manual, designed by you. You can share info and manage info saved with Gemini either through natural conversation or on the dedicated “Saved Info” page. You’re in control: easily view, edit, or delete any information you’ve shared with Gemini, and Gemini will display when it makes use of your saved info. Define how you want Gemini to interact with you, and it will adapt accordingly, giving you full authority over the information it saves and uses. The experience is available in English with Gemini Advanced as part of the Google One AI Premium Plan.
Like ChatGPT, you can add and delete Gemini memories. To do so, you’ll want to go to Saved Info on your Gemini page.
This support document will also help you understand how Saved Info works. Among other things, Google explains here that Gemini Advanced will tell you it used saved information to generate a response by mentioning a “Your saved info” section in the “Sources and related content.”
As for data privacy for Gemini memories, Google says that Saved Info remains in memory until you delete it.
Depending on how you’ve set your Gemini privacy settings, some of your saved info will be part of the Gemini conversations that Google stores and reviews. You’ll find information about that on the same support page. You’ll want to turn off Gemini Apps Activity to prevent Google employees from reviewing any conversations or having your data train future models. But that’s up to you.
