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Can AI models be asked to forget things?

Dictionary definition of the word forever
Photo: Busà Photography/Getty Images

Understanding what we mean by memory when talking about AI is essential.

Recent reports of Microsoft Copilot accessing and summarizing confidential email messages have brought renewed attention to a fundamental question about AI: If a model has processed sensitive data, can it be told to forget it?

The answer depends on what we mean by “memory.” Understanding how AI models actually store