Agent Memory: An Anatomy

Agent memory libraries use cognitive science terminology (episodic, semantic, procedural) but often implement these categories inconsistently, treating different memory types as mere labels rather than separate systems. The core components—extractors that compress conversations into decontextualized facts, stores that manage contradictions and historical changes, and retrievers that surface relevant statements—face challenges in preserving temporal context, local nuance, and the distinction between current and superseded information. The gap between the theory borrowed from 1972 cognitive science and current engineering practice results in systems that function more as timestamped snapshots than true memory systems capable of tracking how beliefs evolve over time.