This project is a conceptual exploration, not a production application.
From an AI design perspective, this screen represents a conscious boundary.
This moment establishes consent before adaptation. Only after the user has chosen a direction does the system begin to quietly adjust pacing or guidance. The fork does not fragment, but signals that the system is responsive rather than directive.
The Problem
The interface offers three equally weighted directions: Slow down, Reset, or Just be here. No flashy features or recommendations. This avoids embedding value judgments and reinforces the idea that there is no “correct” way to arrive.
Design Principles
My guiding principles were built using constraints—not limitations, that protected the experience from becoming intrusive, performative, or overwhelming.
Restraint as an AI Design Feature
Intentional restraint prevents the experience from becoming intrusive or performative.
User Agency Over Automation
The system follows the user’s direction without labeling or defining their internal state.
Accessibility Through Low Cognitive Load
Reduced visual noise and predictable pacing help users stay present without effort.
Concept & AI Behavior
How the AI Learns
This project treats AI as a behavioral system, not an interpretive one.
The adaptive system is designed to observe patterns of interaction, not emotional states. This distinction is intentional.
Instead of attempting to interpret how a user feels, the AI focuses on:
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Frequency of engagement
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Duration of sessions
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Preferences for guided vs. unguided moments
These signals allow the app to adapt its behavior while avoiding assumptions about the user’s internal experience.
This approach prioritizes respect and emotional safety over accuracy or prediction.
What the AI Does Not Do
Just as important as what the system does is what it explicitly avoids.
The AI does not:
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Label or categorize emotional states
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Diagnose stress, anxiety, or wellbeing
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Push content to increase engagement
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Use streaks, rewards, or gamification
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Interpret disengagement as failure
Absence is treated as a valid outcome, not a problem to solve.
Key Design Decisions
Language That Does Not Instruct or Judge
Rather than telling users what to do or how they should feel, the app uses permissive, invitational phrasing. The goal is to remove any sense of obligation or performance from the experience.
Silence as a First-Class Interaction
Silence is treated as a valid and intentional state, not a gap to be filled.
This decision supports emotional safety by allowing users to engage—or disengage—without feeling evaluated.
The Non-Intrusive Interface
Accessibility here is treated as emotional as well as functional, prioritizing clarity and softness over feature density.
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Limited interactive elements
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Clear primary actions
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Gentle transitions
Outcomes & Reflection
This exploration intentionally avoids long-term personalization or metrics-driven optimization.
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Developed a framework for designing AI behavior without emotional labeling or performance pressure
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Explored how presence-focused experiences can exist without productivity metrics or engagement incentives
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Applied accessibility thinking beyond compliance, focusing on cognitive and emotional load
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Practiced translating abstract values—such as trust and safety—into concrete product decisions