Every LLM call starts from zero. The context window is working memory for a single session, and when that session ends it is gone. That is why so many "smart" assistants feel forgetful by the third message.
Real memory is a design problem, not a size problem. It comes down to three decisions:
- What to persist after the conversation ends
- What to retrieve at the right moment, without dumping everything back into the prompt
- What to let decay, so stale detail does not crowd out what actually matters
Get retrieval or decay wrong and you end up with an assistant that technically stores everything and recalls nothing useful.
I put together a longer guide on how AI memory actually works, the types of memory, the architectures, and how to add persistent memory to an app: https://www.adaptiverecall.com/ai-memory/
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