OpenAI adds Computer History tracking to ChatGPT macOS app

OpenAI has rolled out a new feature called Computer History for the macOS desktop version of its ChatGPT application. This tool monitors user interactions, including keystrokes and clicks, to compile a chronological timeline of activity. Both ChatGPT and the Codex model can reference this timeline to assist users with their tasks, suggest customized automations, and help them resume projects they left unfinished.

Unlike Microsoft's controversial Windows Recall feature, which captured frequent screenshots of user screens, OpenAI's implementation does not record images, video, or audio. Instead, the system logs specific digital actions to understand user behavior. The feature is strictly opt-in, and users can manually delete entries or block specific applications and websites from being tracked. Ari Weinstein, a product and engineering manager at OpenAI, confirmed that Computer History is programmed to automatically ignore any activity occurring within private or incognito browser tabs.

In a demonstration of the technology, Dominik Kundel from OpenAI's Developer Experiences team showed the application reviewing a recently edited document, verifying whether it had been shared with colleagues via Slack, and generating a summary of his morning workflow. For developers and general practitioners, this capability transforms the AI from a passive chatbot into an active context-aware assistant. By understanding what a user was doing moments before, the AI can write code, draft messages, or retrieve files with minimal prompting, significantly reducing the friction of switching between different applications.