Notes on conversation, technology, and building Roslein
I'm building Roslein, an AI phone companion that older adults can talk to through a simple phone call.
I write here about why I started it, what I'm learning, and the questions around conversation, privacy, and trust that keep shaping the work.
If you're new, the first post might be a good place to start.
Why I Created Roslein
It became our ritual to talk by phone across 4,800 miles. I tried to call at least once a month, but back then calls were expensive - about $4-5 per minute. We couldn't talk for long, so we felt pressure to make every minute "worth it."
Read moreWhy Would Seniors Talk to AI?
At first, it sounds like a sad idea. Almost like we are pushing someone to talk to a machine instead of a real person. But there is a problem we do not talk about much: our pace of life and theirs are often very different.
Read moreDo Stories Need to Be Real to Matter?
Once, I met someone who refused to read anything but non-fiction. He wouldn't even watch movies unless they were based on true events. It made me wonder whether meaning always depends on who or what is speaking - or whether sometimes the feeling itself is what matters.
Read moreSome Things Are More Precious Because They Cannot Be Held
Today, almost anything we say can be saved. A voice can travel through the air, turn into an electrical signal, become digital audio, and then into text through speech-to-text. A conversation that once would have simply faded away can now be stored, copied, searched, and replayed. Technically, it has never been easier to keep everything. But that does not always mean we should.
Read moreLearn more about Roslein
A phone-first companion designed for everyday conversation.
Explore Roslein