{
  "name": "AI agent memory decision matrix",
  "description": "Eight requirements for AI agent memory scored against five approaches. Columns are approaches, not named products, so each value is independently verifiable.",
  "version": "1.0",
  "dateModified": "2026-08-30",
  "creator": {
    "name": "SAIHM",
    "url": "https://saihm.coti.global"
  },
  "source": "https://saihm.coti.global/agent-memory-decision-matrix",
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "licenseName": "CC BY 4.0",
  "attribution": "AI agent memory decision matrix by SAIHM (https://saihm.coti.global/agent-memory-decision-matrix), CC BY 4.0",
  "valueLegend": {
    "Yes": "true by design for this approach",
    "Varies": "depends on the specific product chosen; verify in its documentation",
    "No": "not something this approach does",
    "n/a": "requirement does not apply to this approach",
    "Within session": "holds only for the duration of one session"
  },
  "approaches": [
    "Context window",
    "Vector store (RAG)",
    "Vendor-native memory",
    "Hosted memory service",
    "SAIHM"
  ],
  "requirements": [
    {
      "phase": "Do you need a memory layer at all?",
      "requirement": "Outlives the session",
      "values": {
        "Context window": "No",
        "Vector store (RAG)": "Yes",
        "Vendor-native memory": "Yes",
        "Hosted memory service": "Yes",
        "SAIHM": "Yes"
      }
    },
    {
      "phase": "Do you need a memory layer at all?",
      "requirement": "Recalls decisions and state, not documents",
      "values": {
        "Context window": "Within session",
        "Vector store (RAG)": "No",
        "Vendor-native memory": "Yes",
        "Hosted memory service": "Yes",
        "SAIHM": "Yes"
      }
    },
    {
      "phase": "Architecture — decided once, not by contract",
      "requirement": "Portable across agents, models and vendors",
      "values": {
        "Context window": "No",
        "Vector store (RAG)": "Yes",
        "Vendor-native memory": "No",
        "Hosted memory service": "Varies",
        "SAIHM": "Yes"
      }
    },
    {
      "phase": "Architecture — decided once, not by contract",
      "requirement": "Readable only by the key holder",
      "values": {
        "Context window": "n/a",
        "Vector store (RAG)": "Varies",
        "Vendor-native memory": "No",
        "Hosted memory service": "Varies",
        "SAIHM": "Yes"
      }
    },
    {
      "phase": "Governance — where most memory layers stop",
      "requirement": "Shared between agents with provenance",
      "values": {
        "Context window": "No",
        "Vector store (RAG)": "No",
        "Vendor-native memory": "No",
        "Hosted memory service": "Varies",
        "SAIHM": "Yes"
      }
    },
    {
      "phase": "Governance — where most memory layers stop",
      "requirement": "Sharing you can revoke afterwards",
      "values": {
        "Context window": "No",
        "Vector store (RAG)": "No",
        "Vendor-native memory": "No",
        "Hosted memory service": "Varies",
        "SAIHM": "Yes"
      }
    },
    {
      "phase": "Governance — where most memory layers stop",
      "requirement": "Provable erasure (GDPR Article 17)",
      "values": {
        "Context window": "n/a",
        "Vector store (RAG)": "Varies",
        "Vendor-native memory": "Varies",
        "Hosted memory service": "Varies",
        "SAIHM": "Yes"
      }
    },
    {
      "phase": "Evidence",
      "requirement": "Answers an enterprise review with evidence",
      "values": {
        "Context window": "No",
        "Vector store (RAG)": "Varies",
        "Vendor-native memory": "Varies",
        "Hosted memory service": "Varies",
        "SAIHM": "Yes"
      }
    }
  ]
}