OpenAI introduces Chronicle for Codex, privacy debate begins

OpenAI adds Codex app chronicle added a new memory system called. This research preview for macOS translates on-screen content into context, allowing Codex to better understand what you’re referring to. The feature is currently only available to ChatGPT Pro subscribers and is not available in the EU, UK and Switzerland.

Chronicle’s logic is directly reminiscent of Microsoft’s Recall for Windows 11. Recall also locally processes screen snapshots taken over time and offers a natural language search and return experience. However, OpenAI chooses a narrower target here, positioning Chronicle as a Codex layer that captures the tools, files and workflows used by coders rather than general desktop memory.

According to the information provided by OpenAI, Chronicle captures the screen context locally, then generates memory using selected frames and OCR texts. The company says it does not store screen captures post-processing on its servers and does not use them for training. Despite this, the created memories remain on the device. unencrypted Markdown files Temporary screenshots are saved and saved while working. is more than 6 hours old is being deleted. Moreover, other applications can access these files, let’s not forget to mention this.

Question marks remain on the privacy side

The real critical point for you starts here. Chronicle can reduce the need for Codex to ask for context and can significantly increase speed, especially in long-term projects. However, OpenAI also openly acknowledges that the feature may unintentionally capture sensitive data and increases the risk of prompt injection with commands from screen content. That’s why Chronicle is already showing that it’s a tool you should use with caution on the privacy side as well as on productivity.