A practical way to overcome the memory limits of AI models (Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini) by externalizing memory into files, without writing code. Problem - AI models have limited memory. - When processing many files (e.g., dozens of transcripts), they “forget” parts of the content, lose context, or hallucinate. - Even large files that are “accepted” are not always read in full. Solution - Use a tool that allows the AI to read and write local files (e.g., Claude Desktop / Claude Code). - These files act as persistent notes, allowing the AI to resume work after its internal memory is “reset.” The 4 components of the system 1. Data: files to be processed (transcripts, emails, tickets, documents, etc.). 2. Context (context.md): describes the main objective of the task. 3. Checklist / To-dos (todos.md): list of steps/files to process, marked as progress is made. 4. Insights (insights.md): where the AI continuously saves extracted results. How the cycle works - The AI processes the files. - It continuously updates the three documents. - When internal memory runs out: - The process continues until everything is completed, maintaining quality. Setup (no code) - Install Claude Desktop. - Use Code mode to allow local read/write access. - Select the folder containing the files. - Use a structured prompt that specifies: Standard prompt structure - Goal: what to analyze/extract. - Before you start: create the three files. - As you work: update insights and checklist. - After memory reset: reread context and to-dos. - Final constraint: continue until everything is completed. Use case examples - Extract customer language for marketing and copywriting. - Create real FAQs from conversations. - Map sales objections. - Identify churn signals. - Prioritize leads in old email archives. - Generate feature ideas from recurring requests. Conclusion - “Unlimited memory” comes from external files, not from the model itself. - With context + checklist + insights, AI can work for hours without losing quality. - The method is reusable for virtually any type of data or objective.