OpenAI has added a "Computer History" feature to the ChatGPT macOS desktop application, which records users' activities on their computers and converts them into a timeline that can be referenced by ChatGPT and Codex, helping to understand users' work methods, provide automated suggestions, and even assist with unfinished tasks.

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This feature uses an opt-in mechanism, allowing users to decide whether to enable it. Users can also exclude specific applications and websites from the recording scope and delete existing history entries. Ali Weinstein, Product and Engineering Manager at OpenAI, stated that the system automatically ignores content in incognito or private browser tabs.

Demonstrations show that Computer History can help users find recently edited documents, confirm whether files have been shared via Slack, and summarize computer activities from the morning. Unlike Microsoft Windows Recall, which mainly relies on screenshots, OpenAI states that this feature does not capture images, videos, or audio, but instead builds an activity timeline by recording user actions as "events."

From a product positioning perspective, Computer History further expands ChatGPT's understanding of users' work context, enabling AI to shift from passively responding to instructions to continuously sensing work status and proactively offering task assistance. It also places greater emphasis on privacy controls and data boundaries.