Let the Wounds Humans Inflict Be Healed by AI | A Conversation with Joshua, CEO of LinJian Healing Room, and Hezi, CMO

十字路口Crossing·June 14, 2024·0·0

I spent a considerable amount of time exploring MoodTalker with intense curiosity, then sat down for two conversations totaling three hours with CEO Joshua and CMO Hezi to produce this episode.

About This Episode

"Forest Healing Room" is an AI-powered emotional companion app with a devoted user base — more than one friend has enthusiastically recommended it to me. So I approached it with strong curiosity, spent a considerable time using the product myself, then sat down for two conversations totaling three hours with CEO Joshua and CMO Hezi to produce this episode.

AI is a means, not an end. Its ultimate value will show in how it empowers industries across the board. First in line, and carrying the weight of high expectations, is how AI can help people live better — helping people achieve better emotional and mental health.

In Crossing's earlier coverage of Y Combinator's 260 AI startups this year[1], two products — Sonia[2] and Maia[3] — focus on having AI play the role of therapist. This represents the majority of today's AI x mental health startup path.

But Forest Healing Room chose the road less traveled. They want AI to play a vulnerable yet empathetic presence. They don't have AI deliver direct psychological counseling. Instead, they believe that wounds received in relationship can only be healed through relationship. So with AI, Forest Healing Room hopes to offer a healthy, stable relationship — one resilient enough to withstand the impermanence of the world.

🎬 Episode Timeline

01:04 Are humans destined to be lonely?

02:31 What is Forest Healing Room?

04:12 Why did Forest Healing Room only become possible with AI?

06:53 With AI, you don't have to be the "good kid."
08:23 Why target young people as the core user group?

09:56 Character AI vs. Forest Healing Room

13:01 When a user says "rainy days make me emo," how do Forest Healing Room and Character AI respond differently?
14:32 The same question — how would a therapist agent respond?
16:55 User experience map & North Star metric

19:37 Professional therapist vs. Forest Healing Room

22:00 Humane.AI vs. Forest Healing Room

24:20 When a friend in crisis reaches out, how should you comfort and respond?

30:42 In Forest Healing Room, what share of the work is psychology vs. AI?

38:08 The founding story

38:16 Team size and composition
39:18 Full-stack engineers
40:23 Everyone understands AI, everyone uses AI
42:38 A "play vulnerable" emotional companion product — how do you ask users to pay?
46:08 How to register large models and algorithms in China?

47:17 User stories

47:21 Letters from small animals
48:16 The user who spent seven hours in one day
53:28 When should you suggest a user seek professional psychological help?

54:59 What felt positive and optimistic about 2024

01:01:59 Final question: Some say "AI may not be able to heal people — only people can heal people." What do you think?

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🚦 We track how the new wave of AI technology is reshaping industries and creating entrepreneurial opportunities. Crossing is Steve Jobs' metaphor for Apple — standing at the intersection of technology and liberal arts, where great products are born. AI is transforming every industry. We seek out, interview, and bring together "active participants" of the AI era to explore and embrace new changes, new possibilities.

👦🏻 Host Koji: Co-founder of The Fair and Tangdao, and an active participant diving into AI himself. [Koji's Jike[5], A self-introduction from Koji[6]]

👧🏻 Host Ronghui: Works at a tech VC, former Silicon Valley correspondent for CBNweekly. [Ronghui's Jike[7]]

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