AI conversation memory needs an explicit scope, retention purpose and access model. Decide which facts persist, who may use them and what happens when information or authority changes. A prior conversation should not become a permanent permission grant or an unreviewed source of truth for every later task.
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Separate memory types
Distinguish current-session context, user preferences, task state and retrieved business records. These have different freshness and sensitivity. A preferred language can remain useful while an old customer balance must be checked against its owning system.
For a hypothetical business assistant, remembering the last selected workspace may help navigation, but it must not bypass a new workspace-access check.
Create a memory policy worksheet
| Memory category | Question to decide | Test scenario |
|---|---|---|
| Preference | Was it explicitly expressed and is it still applicable? | User corrects a preference |
| Task state | Which unfinished work does it describe? | Task completed or cancelled |
| Business fact | What source and date support it? | Owning record changes |
| Sensitive content | Is persistence justified and permitted? | User requests removal |
| Authority context | Is access current? | Role or tenant membership revoked |
| Shared workspace | Who may see or reuse the memory? | Another user asks a similar question |
Have responsible policy owners approve retention and removal behaviour. This guide does not prescribe a legal retention period.
Keep provenance and correction usable
Show users a meaningful way to understand and correct retained preferences where the product supports them. Preserve source references for task-relevant facts rather than treating a summary as independent evidence.
If a user corrects an earlier statement, define how related summaries and cached context change. A correction that affects only one screen can leave the assistant repeating the older claim elsewhere.
Evaluate lifecycle changes
Test account switching, workspace departure, deleted source material and contradictory new instructions. Verify that memory does not leak across boundaries or override current authorised intent.
Include cases where not remembering is appropriate. A system that retains everything may appear helpful while creating unnecessary privacy and reliability problems.
Memory questions
Is conversation history the same as reliable memory?
No. History can contain outdated, mistaken or untrusted content. Define how it is selected and used.
Should a remembered fact outrank a current source record?
Use the current authoritative source where the task depends on changing business facts, and explain material uncertainty.
Connect memory to RAG permission changes, and discuss the lifecycle with Drema's AI team.