AI memory privacy: a checklist before recording your work

Before using an AI memory tool for work, review what it captures, where each processing step happens, and who can access the results. Check the configuration you intend to use. A description such as "local-first" does not tell you where every optional feature sends data.

Screenpipe stores desktop recordings locally and supports choices about transcription and AI providers. Cloud features, connected services, and sharing can introduce additional data flows. Start with the security overview and privacy policy, then review the settings on your device.

Check what enters the recording

List the sources you plan to capture. Screen content, microphone input, and computer audio can expose different information. Review each enabled source separately.

Choose a non-sensitive test session. Open the applications you expect to use, record briefly, and inspect the result. Check whether you can find the expected text and whether anything outside the intended task appears. This also helps identify missing permissions or capture gaps before you rely on the history.

Review application and window filters. Pause recording when appropriate and verify the resulting behavior. Do not assume a private browser window or a hidden application is excluded unless the tool's configuration and your test establish that behavior.

If a session includes other people, establish the recording expectations before capturing it. For workplace use, ask the responsible administrator which applications and kinds of information are approved for recording.

Trace the processing steps

Use a separate row for each step when reviewing a tool. The location of the original recording answers only one part of the privacy question.

For Screenpipe, inspect the selected transcription and AI settings rather than assuming the defaults. A locally stored recording can still provide context to a cloud model when you use a feature configured to do so. The security architecture page gives additional detail for a deployment review.

Decide what you need to retain

Choose a retention period based on the work you need to recover. Then check which data types a cleanup option removes. Deleting old media and deleting the associated searchable text are different operations.

Screenpipe's retention settings distinguish media cleanup from broader deletion modes. Read the selected mode's description before applying it. If your requirement is to remove the content completely, verify the treatment of text, derived information, and any separately exported or synced copies.

Use harmless test data when checking deletion. Search for the test content afterward, and inspect any destinations you enabled. Deleting one local copy does not establish that every external copy has been removed.

Review access before connecting another tool

An AI integration can make recorded context useful outside the recorder. Review what it can read and which actions it can take. Keep access limited to the workflow you intend to run, and use the integration's supported controls to disconnect it when no longer needed.

Before sharing a summary, inspect the source excerpts included with it. A concise answer can still disclose a customer name or a private message. For a documented procedure, follow the workflow recording guide and review the final document as a separate artifact.

For a team rollout, confirm the actual storage and processing arrangement. Customer-owned storage with hosted processing still involves hosted processing. Ask about the deployment you will use instead of treating storage ownership as a complete description of the system. The enterprise deployment guide is a starting point for that discussion.

Keep a record of your choices

Write down the approved capture scope, selected providers, retention behavior, and sharing destinations. Revisit that record when you enable a new integration or change a provider. Repeat the short capture test after a material settings change so your privacy review reflects the workflow you actually use.