Meet CLIO, your personalized companion designed to help you set meaningful goals, achieve milestones, and connect with your friends, family, and community, all through a fulfilling and mindful approach away from the digital noise.
Researcher, 3D Designer, Visual Design, Wireframing & Prototyping
8 months
Figma, Womp, Adobe InDesign
My thesis explores the loneliness epidemic and how AI companionship influences people's emotional well-being and interpersonal relationships, potentially contributing to the rise of this growing concern. It also investigates whether or not AI technology can be used to develop a sustainable solution and how much of it can be used to help address it.
AI companions can provide temporary relief but are not a sustainable solution. They are akin to painkillers, addressing symptoms of emotional distress without resolving the underlying issues of it. Prolonged reliance on AI companions could worsen social isolation by deterring users from seeking genuine human connection. While these technologies have a place, they must be approached as a supplement rather than a replacement for real relationships and solutions to these problems.
So how can design strike a thoughtful balance—one that leverages the benefits of AI companionship while acknowledging its potential drawbacks that might contribute deeper to the loneliness epidemic?
Meet CLIO, your personalized companion designed to help you set meaningful goals, achieve milestones, and connect with your friends, family, and community, all through a fulfilling and mindful approach away from the digital noise.
CLIO is inspired and named by a certain species of the ethereal sea angels, specifically the Clione limacina. Like its namesake (but shortened), CLIO changes color—not through biological chemistry, but through emotion. Its glowing hues reflect how it feels, letting you know when it’s neutral, happy, excited, gloomy, deep in thought, surprised, or even a little frustrated.
To help users step away from the digital noise, CLIO exists solely on a handheld device with a small display, rather than as a phone app that might tempt further screen time.
Interactions with CLIO are intentionally brief and focused—centered around setting goals, marking progress, and asking for advice or support related to those goals.
Thanks to its compact size, CLIO is portable enough to be carried like a keychain—attached to your belt, bag, or keys.
Users can easily define their personalized goals based on their unique needs and wants.
To encourage autonomy and independence, users have the option to create a specific goal that they already have.
Feeling stuck on what to do for a goal? No worries! Clio is here to help. With clio, users can get help in goal creation by answering a few questions which CLIO will analyse and create a list of goals for you.
Users can choose to pursue their goals independently or alongside others
Users can complete their goals on their own—whether it's something deeply personal or simply a goal best pursued independently.
Users can also complete goals with others—whether it's a friend, family member, or the wider community. It’s a great opportunity to bond with loved ones or engage with those around you.
Before developing my research, I came across a video where people would swoon over AI chatbots that they’re talking to. These AI chatbots are usually characters they’ve played in games or in shows/movies that they’ve watched. From what I have observed, these people posted themselves falling over what these chatbots have said to them.
Thus, that is how my thesis topic revolved around the area of Artificial Intelligence, or as we know, AI.
AI is the technology that enables computers and machines to simulate human learning, comprehension, problem solving, decision making, creativity and autonomy.
In my case, I am specifically diving into the area of AI companionship.
There are two kinds of chatbots that one may encounter in their day to day lives: (1.) Task-oriented, function in a pre-defined way where they only perform specific tasks, answer questions, and provide information. Typically seen in customer service. (2.) On the other hand, conversational bots that provide human-like interaction, stimulating much more engaging conversations and connections.
I've noticed people falling in love with conversational bots—what you could reframe as AI emotional companions, since they essentially serve as companions, much like human ones.
These chatbots function through Natural Language Processing, or NLP.
NLP enables these bots to interpret language, detect emotions, retain context, and generate emotionally aware responses TO THEN simulate conversations that feel meaningful, empathetic, and human-like.
Then, I came across the term ‘loneliness epidemic.’ I’ve learned that one of the main and leading causes of why people gravitate to interacting with AI chatbots is because we’re heading towards and if not, then we’re already in, a loneliness epidemic, where people report feeling isolated and disconnected.
Despite the joys of interconnected living, today’s digital landscape appears to be creating this epidemic, thus resulting in a growing number of people leaning on artificial intelligence (AI) in a bid to resolve it.
Loneliness is a growing issue worldwide, and AI is rapidly becoming more integrated into daily life. With more people relying on technology for emotional support, we need to understand the implications on mental health and social interaction.
During the pandemic, Ms Francola here was going through some personal grievances where it left her feeling lonely and isolated, and then she turned to AI and said it was therapeutic and she felt less depressed
So as you can see there are some benefits to it, such as
And also some negative outcomes to it, such as
Bottom line is we’re not really sure(!?) If we're even talking long-term as the science and technology behind AI companions evolve, it's still too early to tell. The impact of AI companions on a person's well being and interpersonal relationships is nuanced. They can be beneficial when used as a supplemental resource and with clear boundaries, but they can also be harmful if relied upon excessively or if they replace meaningful human connections.
To deepen my understanding, I conducted a literature review to gather more insights from experts.
Click here for the in-depth literature review.
The literature review has helped me gain a deeper understanding of the nuanced emotional impacts of AI companionship on individual well-being and real-world relationships, challenging and reshaping my initial assumptions of the topic.
Each source enlightened me on the different facet of AI companionship: its potential benefits in alleviating loneliness, offering emotional support, fostering social skills, and supplementing real-life relationships, alongside significant risks like emotional dependency and over reliance, parasocial relationships, and diminished real-life social connection.
For me, these insights highlight the need for balance in AI interaction and emphasize the ethical responsibilities AI developers hold in promoting healthy user interaction with these chatbots. I’ve come to understand that while AI can supplement human connections, it should not replace meaningful, in-person interactions.
Thus, moving forward, I am curious to explore how design can guide users toward a balanced engagement with AI, promoting emotional well-being and encouraging an awareness of its limitations.
As AI continue to evolve at an unprecedented pace and looking at what we’ve known so far, it is crucial for individuals to stay informed in harnessing the power of AI effectively.
So, how can we make it so that we don’t end up in an impending technological doom? How can we find a healthy balance in interacting with AI while preserving human connections? How can we be more aware and make informed decisions when interacting with these AI? do we wait until they become Super AI for us to start feeling critical about them?
In order to answer my second research question and the aforementioned list of questions, I have conducted primary research where I sent out a survey that got 27 responses to get different people's perspective on it.
It overall suggest that many respondents rate their well-being and personal relationships as average or neutral, frequently seek emotional support through technology, and often feel the need for more meaningful connections or companionship. Together, these findings point to a demographic that is emotionally self-aware and socially curious but not fully fulfilled. They reveal a clear opportunity for intervention—whether through sustainable human-centered design, educational tools, or systems that encourage real-world connection over digital dependence. These insights provide critical context for understanding how AI companionship fits into the emotional lives of users and highlight the need to design solutions that prioritize genuine human interaction.
Participants see AI companions as helpful for emotional support, daily tasks, and providing positive, always-available interactions—especially when real people aren’t accessible. However, many also recognize the risks: emotional overdependence, reduced real-world socialization, misinformation, and ethical concerns like data privacy and exposure to harmful content. While AI offers convenience, the findings show a clear need for more awareness, balance, and responsible design to ensure these tools supplement—not replace—human connection. Almost every response adds an additional layer of confirmation to the research I've gathered on what most people's perceptions on ai companions are.
Participants value AI companions that offer practical advice and encourage real-life interactions the most. Empathy, customization, and some human-like traits are also appreciated, but less essential. Overall, users want AI that supports—not replaces—genuine human connection.
Participants envision a healthy AI interaction as one that is limited, honest, and non-intrusive—with minimal emotional mimicry, clear acknowledgment of its artificiality, and encouragement toward real-world social connection. They emphasized the importance of purposeful use over emotional dependency.
On the other hand, participants foresee major risks in AI development, including addiction, privacy and ethical concerns, replacement of human roles, and stunted social growth. Other concerns include emotional projection, intellectual property, and environmental impact. These responses reflect a strong call for responsible, transparent AI design that prioritizes human connection over artificial reliance.
When asked about anticipated trends in AI companionship technology, participants' responses reflect a mix of optimism and caution, revealing hopes for helpful, human-like support—and fears of social, ethical, and systemic overreach.Participants mentioned lots of features that already exist now, but a few stood out to me which I thought I can work with in my design solution later on.
Participants imagined their ideal AI companions as practical, non-intrusive tools designed to support real-life goals rather than replace human connection. Many preferred companions to exist as physical objects rather than apps, with limited human-like traits and clear, purposeful functions—such as helping with organization, prompting goal-setting, and encouraging time away from social media. Rather than seeking emotionally immersive or overly lifelike AI, participants expressed a desire for companions that enhance productivity and well-being without fostering dependency. This reinforces the broader theme of designing AI to supplement human life, not simulate or substitute it.
There are also some points that stood out to me which has helped me later on when shaping my solution
My design goals aim to create an AI companion that encourages real-life connection, goal-setting, and community involvement—without fostering emotional dependency.
Based on participant insights, the companion should exist as a physical, portable object (not a screen-based app), avoid human-like traits, and motivate users to engage with their surroundings. It will help users stay organized, complete personal goals, and reconnect with loved ones—shifting the AI’s role from emotional crutch to supportive, balanced tool for healthier living.
I believe (and also backed by my primary research) that improving one’s personal growth and well-being through goal-setting is an essential step toward forming stronger and more meaningful connections with others.
The idea is that by working on yourself first, you become a better and more supportive social presence for those around you.
Additionally, having clear goals can give people a sense of purpose, which helps combat feelings of emptiness and isolation.
Based on my research, AI companionship still offers many benefits despite its current drawbacks. My goal is to reduce those drawbacks and arrive at a more sustainable solution that continues to utilize AI technology in a thoughtful and responsible way.
Maybe the best solution is simply by returning to simpler times. I strongly believe that AI is just a trend, and eventually, we’ll reach a saturation point where society becomes overwhelmed by it. When that happens, people may start craving real human connections again and a return to more grounded, meaningful interactions. I’m drawing a parallel to this idea from the disappearance of the Evas in Evangelion—in a way, a symbolic reset (kinda! iykyk).
CLIO’s entire user flow is straightforward and intentionally simple, emphasizing minimal screen time so users can focus on what truly matters—making progress on their goals and spending more time offline.
Due to time constraints, only two main flows: Goal Creation and Goal Completion, were prototyped, as they best represent CLIO’s core purpose and functionality.
Other notable features were wireframed but not fully prototyped, and will be presented as static screens in the final deliverable.
The main vibe I was going for reflects the Frutiger Aero design aesthetic, which emerged in the mid-2000s to early 2010s—a time I believe truly represented the peak of innovation. This style was characterized by skeuomorphism, glossy textures, and bright, vibrant colors.
Frutiger Aero was also seen as a reaction to the present-day technological landscape and a desire for a simpler, more optimistic vision of technology and its relation to nature, which deeply resonates with the whole essence of not only CLIO but the whole research dedicated to it and as a reflection of modern-day society. To many, Frutiger Aero means a hope for the better future, beauty, peace, and eco-friendliness—the optimistic utopia many felt they were promised.
The physicality of the device were heavily inspired by tiny physical gadgets with small screens, especially the Tamagotchis and iPods. Trutfully, what inspired me of my solution the most is seeing an apple watch modified inside a tamagotchi frame
The inspiration (and guide!) for interface referenced the apple watch OS library. For the look and feel, I wanted it to be fun and playful yet still clean and minimal.
The inspiration for the companion look is mostly characters with no human like features or no faces at all! I wanted it to be cute and friendly and take on different forms (whether that's colour or shape).
