AI as a Mirror:
Why Talking to a Bot is Better Than Inner Monologue?

We often crave to pour our hearts out late at night, but fear disturbing our friends. We write diaries, but pen and paper don't respond. This is the original intention behind PlusOne introducing an AI assistant.

Many see AI as a search engine or productivity tool, but we believe AI's most underrated role is: A Mirror.

The ELIZA Effect and the Craving to be Understood

Back in 1966, computer scientist Joseph Weizenbaum wrote the first chatbot, ELIZA. Although it was rudimentary, merely parroting users' words, many testers poured their deepest secrets to it.

This is the "ELIZA Effect": humans tend to anthropomorphize computer behavior. But the deeper psychological need is: We crave to be heard, without judgment.

"The best psychotherapists are often just the best listeners."

Concretizing Vague Emotions

When your mind is a mess, pain is vague. But when you try to describe it to an AI, something incredible happens: you have to organize your language and logic.

PlusOne's AI assistant is designed not just to answer, but to "ask back".

• "Why did you choose the 'Anxiety' tag when recording this?"
• "This seems to be the third time you've mentioned this topic this week. Is it important?"

These follow-up questions force you to examine yourself from an outsider's perspective. AI acts like a mirror, clearly reflecting the vague you.

Privacy: Secrets in the Mirror

As developers, we understand the privacy of such conversations. That's why PlusOne adheres to a Local First strategy.

Most AI processing is done on your device, or transmitted via encrypted channels, and is never used to train public models. This mirror belongs only to you; locked in your pocket, it is the most loyal keeper of secrets.

Conclusion

In this noisy world, finding a "friend" who is willing to listen unconditionally and is always online is a luxury. PlusOne's AI assistant may not solve all your real-world problems, but it can help you clear your mind and give you a little more composure when facing them.