A new Chrome extension eliminates one of the biggest frustrations in AI-powered workflows: losing context when switching between different chatbots. The OpenMemory extension creates a universal memory layer that works across ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and other browser-based AI assistants, keeping your conversations and project details accessible no matter which tool you're using.

The extension stores all data locally on your device, ensuring privacy while providing seamless context sharing between different AI platforms. For media professionals juggling multiple AI tools for different aspects of production—from scriptwriting to research to technical problem-solving—this addresses a major workflow bottleneck.

Anyone working with AI assistants knows the routine. You start brainstorming a documentary concept in ChatGPT, switch to Perplexity for research, then move to Claude for script refinement. Each transition requires re-explaining your project, your vision, and your requirements.

OpenMemory tackles this friction by creating what the developers call a "memory layer" that sits above individual AI assistants. When you're working with any supported chatbot, relevant context gets saved locally and becomes available across all your AI tools.

The extension currently supports:

Unlike many AI productivity tools that require cloud storage or account creation, OpenMemory operates entirely within your browser. All memory data remains on your local machine, with no external servers involved in the basic functionality.

This approach addresses growing concerns about AI conversation privacy in professional settings. For media professionals working on confidential projects or dealing with sensitive client information, keeping context data local provides crucial peace of mind.

The extension includes a dedicated dashboard where you can view, organize, and selectively share memories with specific assistants. You control what information gets passed between tools and can delete or modify stored context at any time.

The social media announcement that brought OpenMemory to widespread attention highlighted its open-source nature—a significant differentiator in the AI tools space. The code can be audited, modified, and integrated with other platforms, providing transparency that many proprietary alternatives lack.

For production teams with specific workflow requirements, the open-source foundation means custom integrations become possible. Studios could potentially adapt the extension to work with proprietary tools or create specialized memory structures for different types of projects.

The current version (1.3.12) is available free through the Chrome Web Store, with optional in-app purchases for advanced features still being developed.

The extension shows particular promise for complex production workflows that benefit from multiple AI assistants. Consider a typical documentary production process:

Without OpenMemory, each transition requires manually recreating context about the project's scope, style, and specific requirements. With the extension, your AI assistants maintain awareness of your project details throughout the entire production cycle.

OpenMemory uses browser automation and DOM parsing to extract and store information from supported chatbots. The extension creates structured, reusable data formats rather than simple conversation logs, making stored context more valuable across different tasks and platforms.

The system operates through Chrome's extension APIs and local storage capabilities, avoiding the complexity and security concerns of server-based solutions. This architecture keeps the extension lightweight while maintaining full functionality offline.

A web-based dashboard provides oversight and management capabilities, allowing users to organize memories by project, client, or topic. The interface supports selective sharing, so you can choose which context gets passed to specific AI assistants based on the task at hand.

OpenMemory represents a broader trend toward user-controlled AI experiences. Rather than being locked into individual platforms' memory systems, users gain portable context that works across the entire AI ecosystem.

For media professionals, this shift could prove particularly valuable as AI tools become more specialized. Instead of choosing one comprehensive but potentially limited assistant, you can leverage the strengths of multiple tools while maintaining consistent project context throughout your workflow.

The extension's success could inspire similar memory portability features from major AI providers, potentially establishing new standards for cross-platform compatibility in AI-powered creative tools.