OpenAI has launched a new Computer History feature for macOS that tracks user activity across websites and applications to provide personalized context for its ChatGPT and Codex models.

Key Points

• The feature is currently available to ChatGPT Pro, Business, and Enterprise subscribers on macOS, excluding users in the UK, Switzerland, and the European Economic Area.
• It utilizes the macOS accessibility API to log clicks, typing, keyboard shortcuts, and app switches rather than recording screen visuals or audio.
• Users maintain control over the feature through manual opt-in, the ability to pause tracking, and the option to delete specific history logs at any time.
• OpenAI states that activity summaries are generated in the cloud but stored locally, and the data is not used for training its AI models.
• The company warns that Computer History files are not encrypted by the application and could potentially be accessed by other programs running on the user's system.

Why it Matters

This feature represents a significant shift toward highly personalized AI agents that anticipate user needs by monitoring cross-application behavior. While it offers increased productivity, the lack of native file encryption raises potential security concerns regarding how sensitive user data is handled and stored on local devices.