A divorce usually has a big impact on a family. For the Latvian startup company Asya, it has been the driving force behind a unique AI-based app that helps couples communicate. At the same time, Asya is breaking new ground in DigitalWell Ventures as the first deep tech service in the accelerator.
Asia marks an important milestone for DigitalWell Ventures as both the first Baltic and deeptech-based startup in the accelerator.
- Asya puts users' emotional health at the center by focusing on design and AI that delivers actionable intelligence to solve real-life problems, whether it's a couple with children or a corporate entity, says David Holm, Investment Manager at DigitalWell Ventures.
Ariel A. Tabaks, one of Asya's founders, looks forward to a fruitful collaboration:
- We believe that with the help of DigitalWell Ventures we will be able to make a fantastic product launch in Sweden and the Nordics. Their team is fast, task-oriented and has specialist skills – exactly what we like in an acceleration programme.
Analyze looks for the feeling behind the words
Asya is committed to spreading its message of ethical AI. Their app "Closer to you" is designed to help couples in their communication using voice detection of emotional states expressed in language. Their AI has been trained by thousands of conversations and has learned to identify the emotions behind what is said and how it affects the communication.
- People can fake feelings and say they're ok even if they're not, but if you talk for a while it's hard to hide your real feelings, says Ariel A. Tabaks, who founded Asya together with his brother Evalds Urtans.
Evalds holds a PhD from Riga Technical University and is the technical driving force and Ariel is the chief designer. As important as the advanced technology is to the app is their experience of the parents' divorce. It has made them convinced of the need for a good dialogue in a relationship, especially when you are the parent of small children and the magic of the first dates can feel distant.
- The app helps couples start meaningful and fun conversations. Often it is trivial matters that cause problems. Our app helps couples choose good topics, keeps track of tonality and how much they talk and listen. It's almost like a fitness app that gives you data so you can exercise and improve the relationship, says Ariel A. Tabaks.
Have taken help from psychologists
The topics and questions are designed by both psychologists and therapists, which helps couples to also address sensitive issues. A big inspiration has also been the book "Permission to feel”, by Marc Brackett, founder of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.
- We have three basic ideas. First, the topics of conversation are really important. The second is that people spend so much time on social media today, so real conversations are incredibly important. The third is awareness, because when the couples know that an AI is listening, they really want to perform well, says Ariel A. Tabaks.
The progress of the conversations is illustrated by a flower in the app, which blooms when the communication is working. The human-centered design has proven to be very important, as the first user tests revealed that users did not like when the feedback became too statistical and filled with reviews.
Ethical approach to AI
Of course, there is still the risk that people feel threatened by a machine evaluating their calls. This is why the concept of ethical AI is so important to Asya. For example, no conversation content is saved or transcribed, unlike many other popular apps.
- It is also important to point out that there is no "perfect person" that our app is based on. All people have different conditions, and by entering your personal settings, the app takes this into account. We don't want a future where people would rather have a relationship with a machine than a human, says Ariel A. Tabaks.
The accessibility of the app, compared to visiting a therapist, also makes Ariel A. Tabaks hopeful that their service can really reach out and make a difference.
- This is also one of the ideas behind ethical AI, it should be available to everyone and not just to those who can afford it. AI should empower everyday people, not just big tech companies.
How good are you at reading people's emotions?
Test your emotional intelligence on Asya's site.
