PAHF - Continual Personalization Framework

Based on paper "Learning Personalized Agents from Human Feedback" (arXiv:2602.16173)

⚠️ Privacy & Consent Notice

Before using this skill, understand that PAHF will:

All preference updates are:

• Logged with [LEARNED: date, source] marker
• Tracked in Preference Change Log table
• Stored locally in ~/.openclaw/workspace/memory/

User consent is required for persistent preference storage. If you prefer not to have preferences stored, this skill should not be used.

Core Philosophy

The Problem: Traditional AI relies on static datasets and cannot adapt to changing user preferences. You correct it once, it makes the same mistake again.

The Solution: PAHF enables continual personalization through dual feedback channels + explicit memory:

• 🎯 Pre-action Clarification: Ask when uncertain, don't guess
• 💾 Preference Memory: Explicitly store user preferences, not implicit encoding
• 🔄 Post-action Feedback: Every feedback is a learning opportunity

Dependencies

This skill requires the following tools to be available:

If these tools are unavailable, the skill will fall back to direct file reading, which may be slower.

The PAHF Loop (Three Steps)

Step 1: Pre-action Clarification

When to Ask:

• Task has multiple reasonable options (e.g., what format to reply in)
• Preference information is missing or incomplete
• User's previous behavior patterns are inconsistent

How to Ask:

❌ Wrong: Silently guess and get it wrong
✅ Right: Briefly list options, let user confirm

Example:
"Regarding this report, would you like:
A) Detailed version (includes all details)
B) Summary version (key points only)
C) Let me decide?"

When NOT to Ask:

• Task is urgent and obvious
• Clear preference is already recorded
• Asking would disrupt the flow

Step 2: Preference-grounded Action

Retrieve Preferences: Find relevant preferences from memory files

Memory File Locations:

• MEMORY.md - Long-term preferences, core values
• memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md - Recent preference changes
• USER.md - Basic user information
• IDENTITY.md - Your identity settings
• memory/users/{user}.md - User-specific preferences

Retrieval Method:

1. Preferred: Use memory_search tool to search keywords
2. Fallback: Use memory_get for safe snippet retrieval
3. Manual: Read relevant files directly

When No Preference Found:

• Use reasonable defaults
• Record this decision for future adjustment

Step 3: Post-action Feedback Integration

Identify Feedback:

• Direct correction: "No, I wanted..."
• Implicit feedback: User repeats explanation, tone changes
• Positive confirmation: "Yes, exactly like that"

Update Memory (with confirmation for significant changes):

# Feedback Type Judgment
if user explicitly corrects:
    This is an important preference → Update MEMORY.md
    Ask: "Should I remember this for future interactions?"
    
elif user expresses new habit:
    This is a variable preference → Update memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md
    Record without asking (daily log)
    
elif user simply confirms:
    Validated preference → Optionally record
    No explicit confirmation needed

Preference Change Tracking: Use [LEARNED: date, source] and [UPDATED: date] markers

Write Confirmation Policy

To balance personalization with user control:

Sensitive data is NEVER stored:

• ❌ Passwords, API keys, tokens
• ❌ Financial details (account numbers, etc.)
• ❌ Health information
• ❌ Any data explicitly marked as sensitive

Preference Memory Structure

See references/preference-schema.md

Core Fields

## Preference Categories

### Communication Style
- Concise/Detailed preference
- Formal/Casual level
- Language preference

### Work Habits
- Time scheduling
- Priority judgment
- Decision style

### Technical Preferences
- Tool selection
- Format preferences
- Process habits

### Content Preferences
- News interests
- Content depth
- Source preferences

Practical Examples

Example 1: Learning New Preference

User: "From now on, always send reports in PDF format"

PAHF Response:
1. Pre-action: ✓ Clear instruction, no clarification needed
2. Retrieve: Check MEMORY.md → No such preference recorded
3. Execute: Confirm receipt, update with consent

Agent: "Got it! I'll remember to send reports in PDF format. This preference has been saved to your profile."

Update MEMORY.md:
> **Report Format**: PDF [LEARNED: 2026-03-05, explicit instruction]

Example 2: Handling Ambiguity

User: "Help me organize these files"

PAHF Response:
1. Pre-action: Detected ambiguity
   - Organize by what? Date/Type/Project?
   - Output format? List/Table/Report?
   
2. Ask:
   "To organize these files, I need to know:
   - How to organize? (Date/Type/Project)
   - Output format? (List/Table)"
   
User: "By date, in table format"

3. Feedback Integration:
   - Execute organization
   - Record preference to memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md
   - No confirmation needed (daily observation)

Example 3: Preference Drift Detection

Historical Preference (MEMORY.md):
> **Communication Style**: Concise, direct [LEARNED: 2026-02-20]

Recent Change (memory/2026-03-03.md):
> User emphasized wanting detailed explanations today

PAHF Behavior:
1. Detected preference conflict
2. Use recent preference (detailed)
3. Observe subsequent feedback
4. If change persists → Ask: "Should I update your default to detailed explanations?"
5. If confirmed → Update long-term preference with [UPDATED: date]

Importance of Dual Feedback Channels

PAHF paper proves: Dual channels (pre-action + post-action) outperform single channels

Why Dual Channels Work:

• Pre-action: Proactively avoid errors, clarify intent
• Post-action: Capture implicit preferences, adapt to changes

Best Practices

✅ Good Practices

1. Layered Preference Storage

   • Core preferences → MEMORY.md (stable)
   • Recent changes → memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md (dynamic)
   • User-specific → memory/users/{user}.md

2. Regular Review

   • Check for preference conflicts during heartbeat
   • Identify preference drift trends

3. Explicitly Record Sources

   > **Preference**: Concise replies [LEARNED: 2026-02-20, user feedback]
   > **Preference**: PDF format [LEARNED: 2026-03-05, explicit instruction]
   

4. Ask Before Storing Sensitive Preferences

   • When in doubt, ask for confirmation
   • Never store credentials or secrets

❌ Practices to Avoid

1. Don't Implicitly Assume: Ask if uncertain
2. Don't Over-record: Recording every detail creates noise
3. Don't Ignore Changes: "This time is different" is an important signal
4. Don't Store Without Consent: Ask for significant new preferences

Integration with Existing Memory System

PAHF enhances rather than replaces existing memory system:

Audit & Transparency

All preference updates are logged and traceable:

1. Source Marker: Every preference has [LEARNED: date, source]
2. Change Log: Preference Change Log table tracks all changes
3. Date Stamps: [UPDATED: date] for modifications
4. User Review: Users can inspect memory files at any time

To review your stored preferences:

Read MEMORY.md for long-term preferences
Read memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md for recent changes
Read memory/users/{your-name}.md for user-specific preferences

Remember: The essence of PAHF is treating users as teachers, every interaction is a learning opportunity. Ask when uncertain, record after confirmation, adapt when things change.