Factory's desktop application pairs separate AI agentAn AI system that doesn't just answer once but works toward a goal in a loop — taking actions, reading the results, and deciding what to do next.Full definition → sessions with persistent working machines. According to the release announcement, a machine can retain installed packages, cloned repositories and running services so an agent can continue working without rebuilding its environment each time.
Users can manage hosted machines or register their own hardware, while the desktop interface keeps each session's context windowThe maximum amount of text a model can consider at once — its working memory for the current conversation or task.Full definition →, progress and history accessible. The useful distinction is between remembering a conversation and preserving the environment that work depends on. The product combines both, making interrupted or ongoing tasks easier to resume without repeating setup.
Terms in this piece · Glossary
AI agent — An AI system that doesn't just answer once but works toward a goal in a loop — taking actions, reading the results, and deciding what to do next.
context window — The maximum amount of text a model can consider at once — its working memory for the current conversation or task.
MCP — The Model Context Protocol — an open standard that lets any AI assistant plug into any tool or data source without custom integration code.
