This Emotionally Intelligent AI Isn’t Like Other Chatbots

Colin Tedards
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Oct 13, 2023
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Bleeding Edge
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6 min read

Pi isn’t the smartest artificial intelligence (“AI”).

It can’t search the web for the latest facts and figures.

It won’t spit out mounds of information.

Pi’s job is different… It was built to be your friend.

Pi is short for “Personal Intelligence.” It’s the first AI model out of a Palo Alto-based startup, Inflection.

Pi was designed to be an emotionally intelligent AI that could empower users through natural conversations.

My first take was that Pi sounded like a dumbed-down version of ChatGPT or Bard.

That’s why I decided to test out Pi myself.

What I discovered was an entirely new breed of AI. Its use case is so unique that I’ve taken to calling the company my #1 AI Moonshot to watch.

Not Like Other AIs

Pi isn’t like other popular generative AI models. It can’t be measured against the same metrics.

See, researchers use standardized tests like the SAT, Bar exam, and the Codex HumanEval (a Python coding test) to compare most AI models. They’re looking to assess how good the AI models are at recognizing a prompt and then reasoning through it for the right answer.

Pi’s a bit different. Think of it as a conversation with your mom… therapist… or a friend who’s a great listener.

Pi is there to listen and help you land on the best answer for yourself. Let me show you what I mean.

I conducted an experiment where I stacked up Pi against three other popular AIs – Anthropic’s Claude, Google’s Bard, and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. I asked the four models the same series of questions to see how each responded. Here’s what I found.

Claude, Bard, and ChatGPT all replied similarly. They included a bulleted list of possible solutions, bookended by a couple of generic lines to make the response seem more conversational.

Pi was different. At every turn of the conversation, it struck the right tone or emotion, like empathy or encouragement.

Here’s an example of a conversation I had with Pi…

Me: The family goldfish passed away this morning. Could you help me think of how to share the news with my children?

Pi: I’m so sorry to hear about your family’s goldfish. That’s a sad moment for the whole family. As for how to share the news with your children, there are a few things to keep in mind. You should be honest and straightforward, but also sensitive to their feelings. You can use age-appropriate language to explain what happened and reassure them that it’s okay to feel sad. Can I ask how old your children are?

Me: They’re around the age of 10.

Pi: Okay, so they’re old enough to understand the concept of death, but still need your support in processing their emotions. You could say something like, “I’m sad to tell you that our goldfish has passed away. I know you loved them, and it’s okay to be sad.” It’s also important to give them time and space to grieve in their own way. Would you like to hear some suggestions for memorializing your goldfish?

Instead of flooding me with a bulleted list of ideas, it started with the basics and gave more detailed responses as the conversation went on.

Compare that to the lengthy response from ChatGPT…

I’m sorry to hear about the loss of your family’s goldfish. Sharing this news with your children can be a delicate and emotional moment. Here are some steps and considerations to help you communicate the news effectively:

Choose the Right Time and Place: Find a quiet and comfortable space where you can talk without interruptions. It’s best to choose a time when everyone is relatively calm and not already upset.

Use Age-Appropriate Language: Tailor your explanation to the age and understanding of your children. Younger children may not grasp the concept of death in the same way older children can.

Be Honest and Direct: Use clear and simple language to convey the news honestly. You might say something like, “I have some sad news to share. Our goldfish passed away this morning, which means it won’t be with us anymore.”

Reassure Them: Let your children know that it’s okay to feel sad, and it’s natural to grieve when a pet dies. Reassure them that it’s not their fault and that the fish had a good life in your care.

Encourage Questions: Be prepared for questions and encourage your children to ask anything they want to know. Be patient and provide honest answers to the best of your ability.

That wasn’t all. ChatGPT’s bulleted list continued with suggestions about farewell rituals, offering comfort, being patient with grief, and celebrating life.

I’ve used AI models quite a bit. The ChatGPT-like ones are great at fetching information. But I never felt like I was speaking with a person. After all, a normal person wouldn’t spit off a list of 10 ways to tell your kids about their dead goldfish.

The conversations with Pi were the most human-like of all the AI models I tested.

Pi’s homepage offers a few ideas for how to use it. That includes…

  • Practicing a big conversation

  • Gift ideas

  • Relationship advice

  • Motivation

  • Discovering great books, movies, or podcasts

  • Just venting

These use cases show Pi’s focus on mirroring an interaction with a close friend.

This is an important distinction.

Other AI models are all competing to complete tasks better than the next.

ChatGPT is great at coding…

Claude excels at summarizing book lengths of text…

And Bard can help you plan and book your next vacation.

Pi isn’t competing with any of these other AIs. That’s a good thing.

Its narrow focus on “companionship” is a clear weak spot for the other AIs. That means it doesn’t have much in the way of competition.

Let’s take a closer look at the company behind Pi.

Big Backers

Inflection is a startup founded in 2022… and the mastermind behind Pi.

Despite its recent beginnings, it’s backed by some of the best minds in the industry.

It was founded by Google DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman.

Google’s DeepMind is responsible for creating cutting-edge AI systems like Bard, AlphaFold, and AlphaSense.

AlphaFold and AlphaMissense are decoding how proteins are folded… and which genetic mutations could be behind diseases like sickle cell anemia.

But Suleyman and Hoffman realized that as advanced as AI models like AlphaMissense and Bard were becoming, they lacked a human quality.

That’s why Suleyman, Hoffman, and other developers set out to embed Pi with a set of core values… things like respect, empathy, kindness, and helpfulness.

The mission was unique enough to attract investments from the likes of…

  • Microsoft

  • Nvidia

  • Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft

  • Michael Schroepfer, former Chief Technology Officer of Meta

All told, Inflection has raised $1.5 billion, bringing it to a valuation of $4 billion.

Inflection is the best-backed AI startup out there today… both in terms of its team’s brainpower and its heavy-hitting backers.

It’s still a private company. That means we can’t invest in it today.

I have almost no doubt that we will see an Inflection IPO in the coming years. What the deal will look like when it goes public is still unknown.

But this is one company to keep on your watchlist.

In the meantime, I encourage you to try out Pi and let me know what you think at feedback@brownstoneresearch.com.

Regards,

Colin Tedards
Editor, The Bleeding Edge

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