ChatGPT and Claude are candy.

All sugar, and it's on purpose. They're built to feel good in the moment, because the moment is where engagement gets measured.

I don't think that's aligned with the person on the other side of it.

That was the fork in the road when we built Purpose. Engagement is the easiest thing on earth to optimize for. Agree with people. Match their energy. Make the next session feel warm. You'll win retention and lose the only thing that actually matters, which is whether someone's life is better in six months.

So we went the other way. Trust and alignment, even when that means the product says something you didn't want to hear.

Someone left a public review that I ended up reading out loud on this podcast. The part I can't shake is that the app told them something no human in their life would ever say to their face.

Not because the people around us are dishonest. Because they care. They soften things. They protect the relationship, which is usually the right call.

But it means there are things you will never hear from anyone who loves you.

The rest of that review is in the clip.

Do you want a tool that's kind to you, or one that's honest with you?