Independent use will determine whether OpenAI’s Computer History provides reliable persistent macOS activity memory with privacy controls acceptable for practical ChatGPT and computer-agent workflows.

state: expiredheat: lowuncertainty: highconvergesscott: highagent-memory computer-use privacyOpenAI

What is this?

OpenAI has documented Computer History, an opt-in integration in the ChatGPT macOS app that creates an interaction-event stream from approved apps and websites, potentially including clicks, typing, shortcuts, app switches, and surrounding context. It requires ChatGPT Memories and lets users choose contributing apps and websites while reviewing macOS permissions and local-storage information. The supplied material does not independently test its memory reliability, deletion behavior, security, or whether its privacy controls are adequate for practical ChatGPT and computer-agent workflows.

Why it matters to Scott

OpenAI’s launch independently productizes Scott’s Attention Flight Recorder pattern: passive, chronological computer-activity capture used to reconstruct context for an assistant. As a consequential platform vendor arriving at his prior position—and potentially testing his warning that durable continuity should not depend on opaque retail-client memory—it creates a strong dated-receipts and hands-on evaluation opportunity around reliability, inspectability, deletion, and privacy.

ip:framework.attention-flight-recorderip:source.retail-mcp-is-the-doorway-not-the-memory-ebookip:concept.memory-hygieneradar:concept.agent-memoryradar:concept.computer-useradar:concept.ai-privacyradar:activity-frames-agent-memory-compiler

queries asked of Scott's wikis

persistent activity-stream memory for agents
local-first agent memory and privacy controls
computer-use event capture and retrieval
user visibility deletion and consent for agent memory
macOS activity context for coding agents
memory reliability across chats and tasks

Measured heat

no measured readings yet — the hourly heat pass fills this in

How the heat travelled

no chain yet — the hourly chain pass fills this in

Evidence (7) — ⭐ canonical anchor

source	object	author	score	comments
🟧 hn	OpenAI launches Computer History to track macOS activity as memory timeline	thoughtpeddler	2	0
🟧 echo.other ⭐	OpenAI’s primary documentation announces Computer History as an opt-in macOS feature that turns activity across apps and websites into memor	OpenAI	—	—
🟧 hn	OpenAI Computer History remembers your activity across the apps and websites	acheong08	1	0
🟧 hn	OpenAI's new Computer History records your typing and clicks	BlueBerry2001	2	0
🟧 hn	OpenAI ditches Recall-style screenshot surveillance for friendly keylogging	sbulaev	1	0
🟧 hn	Cua's open-source alternative to Codex Computer History, encrypted locally	frabonacci	1	0
🟧 hn	OpenHistory – Open-source, local automatic work tracking for Mac	ztratar	2	1

Interpretation history

2026-08-23T19:32:27Z
The launch window has passed without hands-on testing or substantive implementation detail, leaving the OpenAI-specific reliability and privacy hypothesis unchanged. Retire the active watch until independent use produces a fresh evidentiary event.
2026-08-21T19:28:50Z
No independent use or implementation detail has arrived, so the architectural comparison set has not advanced the OpenAI-specific reliability and privacy hypothesis. Keep watching at a slower cadence for hands-on testing rather than further launch amplification.
2026-08-19T18:34:08Z
A second local/open-source work-history implementation strengthens the architectural comparison set, but the thin evidence still says nothing about OpenAI Computer History’s reliability, inspectability, deletion, or privacy behavior in practice. The OpenAI-specific hypothesis remains unadvanced pending hands-on use or substantive implementation details.
2026-08-19T18:23:40Z
evidence attached: hn.story.49364799 — A first-party local Mac work-history artifact provides relevant independent context for privacy-preserving persistent computer activity memory.
2026-08-18T19:01:23Z
The open-source, locally encrypted alternative adds a useful architectural comparison but does not independently test OpenAI’s reliability, deletion, inspectability, or privacy behavior. The core practical-workflow hypothesis therefore remains unadvanced.
2026-08-18T18:23:47Z
evidence attached: hn.story.49350030 — An open-source, locally encrypted alternative provides independent evidence and practical context for persistent computer-history memory systems.
2026-08-17T02:28:37Z
No independent testing or substantive clarification has arrived, so the case remains a high-relevance evaluation opportunity rather than evidence that the memory and privacy design works in practice.
2026-08-15T02:22:54Z
The new item does not establish a design change; it merely reframes the already-known exclusion of screenshots and capture of typing and clicks. The case still awaits independent evidence on reliability, inspectability, deletion, and privacy behavior.
2026-08-15T02:21:59Z
evidence attached: hn.story.49306929 — Reports a material change in OpenAI's activity-memory design, relevant to the case's privacy and practical-workflow hypothesis.
2026-08-14T12:31:14Z
The newly explicit capture of typing and clicks sharpens the feature’s utility and privacy stakes, but it remains first-party launch detail rather than independent validation. Reliability, inspectability, deletion behavior, and practical workflow suitability are still unresolved.
2026-08-14T12:22:43Z
evidence attached: hn.story.49297453 — First-party changelog evidence confirms Computer History records typing and clicks, materially advancing the open case about persistent computer-activity memory and its privacy controls.
2026-08-14T01:26:33Z
The additional HN item is repetitive amplification of the established first-party launch, not independent testing. The case is now actively watchable, but reliability, inspectability, deletion behavior, and privacy suitability remain wholly unvalidated.
2026-08-14T01:22:18Z
evidence attached: hn.story.49293433 — First-party announcement directly supports the open case about persistent macOS activity memory and its practical privacy-controlled use.
2026-08-14T00:36:25Z
The launch remains established, but the case has gained no independent testing of reliability, deletion, inspectability, or privacy behavior; its practical-workflow hypothesis is therefore still unadvanced.
2026-08-14T00:32:19Z
grounded: converges/high — OpenAI’s launch independently productizes Scott’s Attention Flight Recorder pattern: passive, chronological computer-activity capture used to reconstruct contex
2026-08-14T00:29:47Z
origin walked (codex/luna, conf 0.98): anchor hn.story.49293216 -> echo.other.fd8314f8d7 by OpenAI
2026-08-14T00:27:25Z
case created — The reported activity timeline is a consequential new memory primitive whose utility and privacy behavior require follow-up.

Decision trace

08-24 05:32expireThe launch window has passed without hands-on testing or substantive implementation detail, leaving the OpenAI-specific reliability and privacy hypothesis unchanged. Retire the active watch until inde
08-24 05:32alert_silentOnly the staleness threshold fired; no new consequential fact warrants attention or a near-term confirmation hold.
08-24 05:32alert_routeOnly the staleness threshold fired; no new consequential fact warrants attention or a near-term confirmation hold.
08-24 03:25drop_targetsquiet through full ladder or over cap 8
08-22 05:28repriceNo independent use or implementation detail has arrived, so the architectural comparison set has not advanced the OpenAI-specific reliability and privacy hypothesis. Keep watching at a slower cadence
08-22 05:28alert_silentThe only trigger is staleness, with no new consequential fact; this can wait until independent testing addresses reliability, inspectability, deletion, or privacy behavior.
08-22 05:28alert_routeThe only trigger is staleness, with no new consequential fact; this can wait until independent testing addresses reliability, inspectability, deletion, or privacy behavior.
08-20 04:34repriceA second local/open-source work-history implementation strengthens the architectural comparison set, but the thin evidence still says nothing about OpenAI Computer History’s reliability, inspectabilit
08-20 04:34alert_silentThe new item is only a low-detail pointer to an adjacent implementation, not a validated capability result or new fact about OpenAI’s product; it can wait for repository details or independent testing
08-20 04:34alert_routeThe new item is only a low-detail pointer to an adjacent implementation, not a validated capability result or new fact about OpenAI’s product; it can wait for repository details or independent testing
08-20 04:25alert_silentA newly surfaced open-source, local Mac work-tracking project is relevant to evaluating alternatives to OpenAI Computer History, but the available evidence provides only a title and landing-page link—
08-20 04:25surface_candidateA newly surfaced open-source, local Mac work-tracking project is relevant to evaluating alternatives to OpenAI Computer History, but the available evidence provides only a title and landing-page link—
08-20 04:25alert_routeA newly surfaced open-source, local Mac work-tracking project is relevant to evaluating alternatives to OpenAI Computer History, but the available evidence provides only a title and landing-page link—
08-20 04:23attachA first-party local Mac work-history artifact provides relevant independent context for privacy-preserving persistent computer activity memory.
08-20 04:23propose_attachA first-party local Mac work-history artifact provides relevant independent context for privacy-preserving persistent computer activity memory.
08-19 05:01repriceThe open-source, locally encrypted alternative adds a useful architectural comparison but does not independently test OpenAI’s reliability, deletion, inspectability, or privacy behavior. The core prac
08-19 05:01alert_silentThe new evidence is only a low-detail HN pointer and establishes neither the alternative’s functionality nor new facts about OpenAI’s implementation; it can wait for repository details or hands-on tes
08-19 05:01alert_routeThe new evidence is only a low-detail HN pointer and establishes neither the alternative’s functionality nor new facts about OpenAI’s implementation; it can wait for repository details or hands-on tes
08-19 04:24alert_silentA highly relevant open-source, locally encrypted alternative would create a useful comparison for Scott’s activity-memory and privacy architecture, but the supplied evidence is only a low-engagement H
08-19 04:24surface_candidateA highly relevant open-source, locally encrypted alternative would create a useful comparison for Scott’s activity-memory and privacy architecture, but the supplied evidence is only a low-engagement H
08-19 04:24alert_routeA highly relevant open-source, locally encrypted alternative would create a useful comparison for Scott’s activity-memory and privacy architecture, but the supplied evidence is only a low-engagement H
08-19 04:23attachAn open-source, locally encrypted alternative provides independent evidence and practical context for persistent computer-history memory systems.
08-19 04:23propose_attachAn open-source, locally encrypted alternative provides independent evidence and practical context for persistent computer-history memory systems.
08-17 12:28repriceNo independent testing or substantive clarification has arrived, so the case remains a high-relevance evaluation opportunity rather than evidence that the memory and privacy design works in practice.
08-17 12:28alert_silentThe staleness trigger adds no consequential fact; wait for hands-on reliability, deletion, inspectability, or privacy evidence.
08-17 12:28alert_routeThe staleness trigger adds no consequential fact; wait for hands-on reliability, deletion, inspectability, or privacy evidence.
08-15 12:22repriceThe new item does not establish a design change; it merely reframes the already-known exclusion of screenshots and capture of typing and clicks. The case still awaits independent evidence on reliabili
08-15 12:22alert_silentThis is repetitive, unsupported framing of the existing launch package rather than a new consequential fact, so it can wait for independent testing or first-party clarification.
08-15 12:22alert_routeThis is repetitive, unsupported framing of the existing launch package rather than a new consequential fact, so it can wait for independent testing or first-party clarification.
08-15 12:22alert_shadowOpenAI has officially released a direct product analogue of Scott’s Attention Flight Recorder pattern: a timeline and assistant memory built from activity across apps and websites. OpenAI says it capt
08-15 12:22alert_routeOpenAI has officially released a direct product analogue of Scott’s Attention Flight Recorder pattern: a timeline and assistant memory built from activity across apps and websites. OpenAI says it capt
08-15 12:21attachReports a material change in OpenAI's activity-memory design, relevant to the case's privacy and practical-workflow hypothesis.
08-15 12:21propose_attachReports a material change in OpenAI's activity-memory design, relevant to the case's privacy and practical-workflow hypothesis.
08-14 22:31repriceThe newly explicit capture of typing and clicks sharpens the feature’s utility and privacy stakes, but it remains first-party launch detail rather than independent validation. Reliability, inspectabil
08-14 22:31alert_silentThis capture-scope detail belongs to the already-routed launch package and does not establish independent performance or privacy behavior; it can wait for the next briefing or hands-on evidence.
08-14 22:31alert_routeThis capture-scope detail belongs to the already-routed launch package and does not establish independent performance or privacy behavior; it can wait for the next briefing or hands-on evidence.
08-14 22:23alert_shadowOpenAI’s first-party changelog establishes that Computer History is rolling out as an opt-in timeline and memory layer across macOS apps and websites. This directly productizes Scott’s Attention Fligh
08-14 22:23alert_routeOpenAI’s first-party changelog establishes that Computer History is rolling out as an opt-in timeline and memory layer across macOS apps and websites. This directly productizes Scott’s Attention Fligh
08-14 22:22attachFirst-party changelog evidence confirms Computer History records typing and clicks, materially advancing the open case about persistent computer-activity memory and its privacy controls.
08-14 22:22propose_attachFirst-party changelog evidence confirms Computer History records typing and clicks, materially advancing the open case about persistent computer-activity memory and its privacy controls.