TL;DR:

• Future You is an AI-powered platform that lets users chat with a personalised version of their future selves.
• A study involving 344 participants showed that interacting with Future You reduced anxiety and strengthened the connection to future selves.
• The platform aims to enhance future self-continuity, improving long-term thinking, academic performance, and mental health.

Imagine Yourself 30 Years in the Future…

How vividly can you imagine your future self? Inspired by studies showing how increased “future self-continuity” can positively influence saving behaviour, academic performance, mental health, and subjective quality of life, our interactive, web-based chat platform seeks to help users develop more long-term thinking and behaviour by strengthening their relationship with a relatable yet virtual version of their future selves. The conversation with the future self is generated in real-time via a large language model that has been personalised based on a pre-intervention survey assessing user future goals and personal qualities. Have a chat with your future self!

How It Works

Future You is a web-based platform that lets you chat with a personalised version of your future self. Our system uses advanced AI to create a realistic conversation partner based on information you provide.

Steps to Use Future You

1. Pre-Intervention Survey: Fill out a survey about your future goals and personal qualities.
2. AI Personalisation: The AI uses your survey responses to create a realistic version of your future self.
3. Real-Time Conversation: Chat with your future self in real-time, exploring what your life could be like in the future.

The Research Behind Future You

In our study involving 344 participants, we found that after interacting with their “Future You” character, users experienced reduced anxiety and a stronger connection to their future selves. This research demonstrates how the virtual self can enhance an individual’s sense of future self-continuity and overall wellbeing.

Key Findings

• Reduced Anxiety: Users reported feeling less anxious about the future.
• Stronger Connection: Interacting with Future You helped users feel more connected to their future selves.
• Improved Wellbeing: The platform enhanced users’ sense of future self-continuity, leading to better mental health.

What Happens to My Data?

We anonymise and collect your survey responses and your conversation with your future self for further research to improve Future You. Your data is kept secure and used only for the purpose of enhancing the platform.

How Accurate is Future You?

Future You cannot predict specific details about your future life – rather, it aims to paint a vivid and realistic picture of what your future life could be like. Our goal is to help illuminate future pathways that may otherwise seem ambiguous, uncertain, or unclear.

Why Doesn’t My Future Self Seem Like Me?

The conversation with the future self is generated in real-time via a large language model that has been personalised based on a pre-intervention survey assessing user future goals and personal qualities. Therefore, its responses are largely dependent on both its foundational model and the data collected in the pre-intervention survey. We recommend being as detailed as possible in the initial survey for the best possible experience.

Is This Tool Right for Me?

Future You is an intervention grounded in empirical and theoretical research on the benefits of future self-continuity as it relates to improvements in long-term thinking, academic performance, financial savings, and mental health and wellbeing. The primary goal of this project is to support reflection on future paths.

Benefits of Future You

• Long-Term Thinking: Helps users think more about their future.
• Academic Performance: Encourages better academic outcomes.
• Financial Savings: Promotes better saving habits.
• Mental Health: Improves overall mental wellbeing.

What’s Next for Future You?

Future You is currently looking to make the platform more accessible and to collaborate with institutions to support young people in envisioning their futures.

Prompt: Imagine Your Future Self

Before you start chatting with your future self, take a moment to imagine what your life might be like in 30 years. Think about your goals, dreams, and aspirations. This will help you get the most out of your conversation with Future You.

Prompt: Imagine yourself 30 years from now. What do you see? Where are you living? What are you doing? How do you feel? Write down your thoughts and use them as a starting point for your conversation with Future You.

Comment and Share:

What do you think about the potential of AI in helping us envision our futures? Have you tried Future You? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments below. Don’t forget to subscribe for updates on AI and AGI developments.

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• To sign up for Future You tap here.

TL;DR:

• Ello, an AI reading companion, has launched “Storytime,” allowing kids to create personalised stories.
• The feature uses advanced AI to adapt to a child’s reading level and teach critical skills.
• Ello’s technology outperforms competitors like OpenAI’s Whisper and Google Cloud’s speech API.
• The platform has over 700,000 books read and offers affordable access for low-income families.

Empowering Young Minds with AI

In the ever-evolving world of artificial intelligence (AI), one company is making waves by empowering young readers to create their own stories. Ello, an AI reading companion, has introduced “Storytime,” a feature that not only helps kids improve their reading skills but also lets them participate in the story-creation process. This innovative tool is set to revolutionise how children engage with literature, making learning more interactive and fun.

What is Ello’s Storytime?

Ello’s “Storytime” is an AI-powered feature that allows kids to generate personalised stories by selecting from a variety of settings, characters, and plots. For example, a child could create a story about a hamster named Greg who performs in a talent show in outer space. With dozens of prompts available, the combinations are endless, ensuring that each story is unique and engaging.

How It Works

Like Ello’s regular reading offering, the AI companion—a bright blue, friendly elephant—listens to the child read aloud and evaluates their speech to correct mispronunciations and missed words. If kids are unsure how to pronounce a certain word, they can tap on the question mark icon for extra help.

Storytime offers two reading options:

• Turn-Taking Mode: Ello and the reader take turns reading.
• Easy Mode: Ello does most of the reading, making it suitable for younger readers.

Advanced AI for Personalised Learning

Ello’s proprietary AI system adapts to a child’s responses, teaching critical reading skills using phonics-based strategies. The company claims its technology outperforms OpenAI’s Whisper and Google Cloud’s speech API, making it a standout in the market.

Tailored to Reading Levels

The Storytime experience is tailored to the user’s reading level and the weekly lesson. For instance, if Ello is helping a first-grader practice their “ch” sound, the AI creates a story that strategically includes words like “chair” and “cheer.”

Safety and Future Plans

Ello has implemented safety measures to ensure that the stories are suitable for children. The company spent several months testing the product with teachers, children, and reading specialists. The initial version only permits children to choose from a predetermined set of story options. However, future iterations will allow children to have even more involvement in the process.

Catalin Voss, co-founder and CTO of Ello, shared his vision for the future:

“If a teacher creates an open story with a child, they provide the [building blocks] through interactive dialog. So, I imagine it would look quite similar to that. Kids prefer some guardrails at some level. It’s the blank paper problem. You ask a five-year-old, ‘What do you want the story to be about?’ And they kind of get overwhelmed.”

Expanding Accessibility

In addition to Storytime, Ello recently launched its iOS app, expanding the reach of its AI reading coach to even more users. It was previously limited to tablets, including iPads, Android tablets, and Amazon.

With over 700,000 books read and tens of thousands of families served, Ello is priced at $14.99/month. Ello also partners with low-income schools to offer the subscription at no additional cost.

Additionally, Ello has made its library of decodable children’s books available online for free, further enhancing accessibility.

The Future of AI in Education

AI-assisted story creation for kids isn’t a new concept. In 2022, Amazon introduced its own AI tool that generates animated stories for kids based on various themes and locations, such as underwater adventures or enchanted forests. Other startups, like Scarlet Panda and Story Spark, have also joined this trend.

However, Ello’s advanced AI system sets it apart, offering a more personalised and adaptive learning experience. As AI continues to evolve, tools like Ello’s Storytime will play a crucial role in shaping the future of education, making learning more engaging and effective.

By combining advanced AI with a fun and interactive approach, Ello is paving the way for a new era in education, where learning is not just about reading but also about creating and exploring new worlds.

Comment and Share:

We’d love to hear your thoughts on Ello’s new Storytime feature! What do you think about AI-assisted story creation for kids? Have you tried any similar tools? Share your experiences and ideas in the comments below. Don’t forget to subscribe for updates on AI and AGI developments.

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• To sign up for Ello tap here.

TL;DR:

• Meta has unveiled Orion, their most advanced AR glasses, aiming to replace smartphones.
• AR glasses face challenges like ease of use, physiological comfort, and social acceptance.
• The AR and VR market is projected to reach US$370 billion by 2034.
• Experts debate whether AR glasses will enhance productivity or create more distractions.

The Future is Here: Meta’s Orion AR Glasses

Imagine wearing glasses that let you see digital content right in front of your eyes. Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has brought this idea to life with their newest invention, Orion AR glasses. These glasses look like ordinary reading glasses but use holographic projection to display graphics in your field of view. Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, claims they are the most advanced glasses ever made and will eventually replace smartphones. But is this just hype, or will AR glasses truly benefit us in new ways?

The Evolution of AR Glasses

The technology behind Orion is not new. In the 1960s, computer scientist Ivan Sutherland created the first AR head-mounted display. In the 1980s, Canadian engineer Stephen Mann developed the first glasses-like prototype. Throughout the 1990s, researchers and tech companies improved this technology, initially focusing on military and industry applications.

In 2013, Google introduced Google Glass, but consumers weren’t interested due to privacy concerns, high cost, and limited functionality. Despite this, companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Meta continued to develop AR glasses.

What Makes Orion Special?

Meta claims Orion is the most advanced AR glasses for several reasons:

• Miniaturised Technology: Orion packs powerful tech into a small, lightweight frame.
• Large Fields of View: The glasses offer a wide display area for better immersion.
• Holographic Displays: Orion uses advanced displays for compelling AR experiences.
• Inbuilt Smart Assistant: Meta AI helps with tasks through voice commands, eye and hand tracking, and a wristband for navigation.

Challenges Ahead for AR Glasses

Before AR glasses become mainstream, Meta must address several challenges:

• Ease of Use: Integrating AR glasses with other glasses and making them user-friendly.
• Physiological Aspects: Managing heat generation, comfort, and potential vertigo.
• Operational Factors: Improving battery life, data security, and display quality.
• Psychological Factors: Ensuring social acceptance, trust in privacy, and accessibility.

The Path to Wider Acceptance

Just like smartphones in the 2000s, early adopters will see more benefits than risks in AR glasses, creating a niche market that will gradually expand. Meta plans to build a digital platform and ecosystem around Orion, allowing for applications in education, remote work, and enhanced collaboration tools.

The Creative Destruction of Smartphones

Smart glasses are already used in industries like logistics and healthcare. Meta plans to launch Orion for the general public in 2027. By then, AI advancements may make virtual assistants more capable, potentially reducing the need for bulky smartphones. This shift could be worth US$370 billion by 2034, according to research on the AR and VR headset industry.

The Debate: Productivity vs. Distraction

Experts disagree on the impact of smartphone technology on productivity and wellbeing. Some argue that smartphones have increased connectivity and access to information, while others say they create more work, distractions, and mental fatigue.

Meta believes AR glasses will enhance productivity by providing hands-free data access, faster communication, and data visualisation. Consulting firm Deloitte agrees, adding that smart glasses could reduce human errors and monitor the wearer’s health and wellbeing. However, these benefits depend on how well companies like Meta address the challenges associated with AR glasses.

The Road to 2027

The journey to replacing smartphones with AR glasses won’t be easy. Meta must overcome technical, physiological, and psychological challenges to make Orion a success. If they can, AR glasses could revolutionise how we interact with technology and the world around us.

Comment and Share:

What do you think about Meta’s Orion AR glasses? Will they replace smartphones, or are they just another tech gimmick? Share your thoughts and experiences with AR technology below. And don’t forget to subscribe for updates on AI and AGI developments!

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• To learn more about Meta’s Orion glasses, tap here.