ChatGPT's Computer History Feature Tracks Mac Activity for Automation
OpenAI has begun rolling out a new feature called Computer History for ChatGPT's desktop app on macOS. The feature tracks user actions—including clicks and keystrokes—to create a timeline of activity that both ChatGPT and its Codex assistant can reference when processing requests.
How Computer History Works
The feature monitors activity across apps and websites on your Mac, learning your work patterns to suggest automations and even identifying tasks you may have left unfinished. When you make a request, ChatGPT can draw on this timeline to provide more contextual assistance or pick up where you left off.
Privacy Controls
Computer History is opt-in, meaning users must actively enable it rather than having it on by default. OpenAI has incorporated several privacy controls:
- App and website exclusions: Users can choose specific apps or websites to exclude from tracking
- Entry deletion: Individual history entries can be deleted for finer-grained control
- Private browsing protection: Content viewed in incognito or private browser tabs is automatically ignored
Ari Weinstein, Product and Engineering Manager at OpenAI, confirmed these protections on social media, emphasizing that user control remains central to the feature's design.
Balancing Utility and Privacy
The feature raises questions about the extent of monitoring required for useful AI assistance. While Computer History could significantly enhance productivity by understanding user workflows, the level of activity tracking involved may give some users pause—despite the built-in safeguards and opt-in nature of the feature.