insights
Some frameworks solve this by using shared databases or spaces where agents can read and write common information. Others use direct messaging where Agent A passes a note to Agent B to say, “Hey, the hotel is booked, so schedule the taxi.” Each approach has its pros and cons, but the underlying truth is the same: memory is social.
How to Build Memory Architectures that Work
Memory in AI is evolving fast. We’re using vector databases like Pinecone to store memories in a form that can be searched semantically, not just by keyword. Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) allows us to pull relevant memories into the prompt context before generating a response. It’s like refreshing your mind with your notes before giving a speech.
Embeddings is one way we turn language into mathematical vectors. It’s a bridge between past and present. They let an AI recognize that “I’m feeling a bit anxious” today might connect to “I didn’t sleep well” yesterday.
But memory isn’t just about keeping everything. Sometimes we need to forget. We need summarization, expiration, and pruning. We need to teach our agents when to hold on, and when to let go. That’s emotional intelligence and computational wisdom.
Some frameworks now allow for agent-specific memory, where each agent remembers its domain like one handling billing and another handling support while still syncing through shared states.
It’s reminiscent of how we carry roles in our lives: mother, daughter, manager, friend. We remember selectively, depending on the context.
Best Practices in Designing Memory with Care
Designing memory systems is as much about ethics as it is about efficiency. What do we store? Who gets to see it? Can users edit or delete their memory? These are design questions, yes but they are also questions of respect.
We come to this work with lived experience of being overlooked or misremembered. So we bring sensitivity to what it means to be truly known. We understand the cost of being misunderstood, and we carry that into how we build. We know that memory must be transparent, consensual, and dignified.
The Future of Memory: From Storage to Story
What excites me most is where memory is heading. It’s no longer just about storing information but creating narratives. Our agents could soon tell us not just what we did, but who we are becoming.
Imagine an AI saying, “Over the past year, I’ve noticed you’re making more time for family. You used to work late nights, but now you stop around 6pm. Is that part of a new goal you’re working on?”
That’s not just recall. That’s insight. That’s care.
In multi-agent settings, we may even see agents asking each other what they remember, sharing stories, not just facts. In that future, agents don’t just serve us. They grow with us.
We, as humans, are shaped by memory. Our loves, our wounds, our wisdom. They live in what we carry forward. When we build memory into AI, we’re not just engineering a feature. We’re making a choice about what it means to know, to remember, to matter. We’re deciding what kind of relationship we want between humans and machines.
And maybe we’re giving AI a small taste of what it means to care.
Because in the end, the most powerful systems we build will not be the ones that answer the fastest, but the ones that remember gently, speak with context, and stay with us over time.
And that, I believe, is something worth building well.
Josephine Toh is a dynamic force at the intersection of digital strategy, product innovation, and artificial intelligence in Malaysia. Currently leading initiatives at XIMNET, a digital consultancy known for its forward-thinking approach, she has been instrumental in developing AI-powered solutions such as XTOPIA, a SaaS platform.
At XTOPIA, user-centric business solutions like Smart Search, AI Forms, and intelligent content engines to serve organizations across Asia.
Her commitment to responsible innovation is grounded in the belief that technology should be “real, good, and human.” Whether she’s facilitating workshops to help teams reinvent their workflows using AI, speaking to boards about AI readiness, or shaping the future of AI-driven platforms in Malaysia, Jo is poised to be a catalyst in Malaysia’s growing AI ecosystem. #WomenInAI
