Robyn: AI for Connection & Healing 🚀🔥

Tech & Science

Driven by her experiences as a physician – including witnessing the profound neurological impact of isolation during the pandemic – Jenny Shao left her Harvard residency to create Robyn, an AI assistant designed to offer emotional support. Recognizing the nuanced space between general chatbots like ChatGPT and more focused companion apps such as Character.AI or Replika, Shao envisioned Robyn as a deeply understanding partner. Her background as a physician, particularly her work alongside Nobel Laureate Eric Kandel, heavily influenced Robyn’s development; she sought to replicate the way humans remember and understand each other, embedding this knowledge into the AI. The onboarding process, much like those found in journaling or mental health apps, allows Robyn to learn about the user – their goals, their reactions to challenges, and even their preferred tone of communication. As conversations flow, Robyn builds a detailed picture of the user, offering insights into their patterns, emotional style, and even their “emotional fingerprint.” The company, now boasting a team of 10, recently secured $5.5 million in seed funding, led by M13, with notable investors including Google Maps co-founder Lars Rasmussen. Rasmussen highlighted the impressive emotional memory system and Shao’s central mission: “We’re living through a massive disconnection problem. Robyn tackles that head-on, helping people reflect, recognize their own patterns, and reconnect with who they are.” Safety is a paramount concern, and the team has incorporated safeguards like a crisis line number and prompts to seek immediate medical attention when self-harm is discussed. Robyn consciously avoids certain types of requests—like providing sports scores or counting to a specific number—instead focusing on facilitating personal reflection and support. This deliberate focus on building genuine connection is reflected in the app’s current subscription model: $19.99 per month or an annual plan at $199.