AI's next big leap will be in memory, not reasoning
21 Dec 2025

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has said that the next major advancement in artificial intelligence (AI) will come from improved memory capabilities rather than enhanced reasoning skills.

In a recent podcast with tech journalist Alex Kantrowitz, Altman envisioned a future where AI systems could remember and learn from huge amounts of personal data over an individual's lifetime.

This would fundamentally change our understanding of digital personal assistants.

AI's current limitations and future potential
Memory evolution

Altman pointed out that while today's AI tools are good at reasoning tasks, they lack long-term recall.

He said humans make the best personal assistants because they understand context and nuance but often forget details. However, AI could eventually overcome this limitation.

Altman sees a huge opportunity in building systems that can remember everything a user has shared over time, from conversations to preferences.

OpenAI's vision for memory-driven personal assistants
Future prospects

Altman said OpenAI is actively working toward this vision, hinting that more advanced, memory-driven personal assistants could start emerging as early as 2026.

He described persistent memory as a game-changer for consumer AI.

Instead of responding to isolated prompts, future systems could provide highly personalized results based on years of accumulated context.

This would make AI a proactive assistant capable of anticipating needs and tailoring responses with unprecedented precision.

Response to rising competition and internal 'code red'
Competitive strategy

Altman addressed reports of internal "code red" alerts at OpenAI amid rising competition in the AI space.

He said these moments are not about panic but a strategy to stay alert and responsive.

Altman stressed that being cautious when a credible threat emerges is good for the organization.

Such situations, he said, will likely become common as OpenAI tries to stay ahead in a fast-moving market.

Altman's festive surprise for ChatGPT users
Holiday treat

Separately, Altman teased a holiday surprise for ChatGPT users. He posted a cryptic message on X, urging people to engage with the chatbot using a single emoji.

Users soon found that sending a gift emoji to ChatGPT unlocks a hidden Christmas-themed interaction.

The chatbot prompts users to upload or take a selfie, which is then processed by Sora, OpenAI's video generation tool.