ChatGPT's Computer History Tracks Your Mac Activity: Productivity Boon or Privacy Risk?

OpenAI launched Computer History, which is rolling out to the ChatGPT Mac app for Pro, Business, and Enterprise accounts, with broader availability in the UK, Switzerland, and the European Economic Area to follow in coming weeks. The feature, which replaces the older Chronicle, records an interaction-event stream from allowed apps and websites, including clicks, typing, keyboard shortcuts, and app switches, but not screen, microphone, or system audio. Events are converted into text summaries and local memory files, organized into a timeline by day and time, from which users can ask questions about recent work, resume tasks, and turn workflows into skills. Users must enable the feature via Settings > Integrations, choose which apps and websites to include, and have Memories turned on. Privacy controls include being opt-in, selective app permissions, the ability to pause or turn off, and the ability to clear history. However, OpenAI notes that Computer History files are not encrypted and may be accessible to other programs running under the same macOS user account, prompting users to protect their accounts and exclude sensitive sources.