Stoa.ai is a website that uses artificial intelligence as a therapeutic tool, to bring the ancient philosophy of Stoicism back to life.
The platform uses AI to pass on the timeless wisdom and practical teachings of Stoicism in a modern, interactive form. Visitors can interact with an AI-powered chatbot that applies Stoic principles to personal situations and challenges.
Note: role labels apply to all genders.
Role
Research
User Experience
Web Design
Illustration
Timeframe
Jul 2022 - Nov 2022
Stoa.ai home page
Stoicism, an ancient Greek philosophy, inspired modern cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The principles of the Stoics are timeless and practical, which is why they were rediscovered in psychotherapy. Stoic philosophers taught that it is not outer circumstances that weigh on us, but our views about them. Instead of focusing on what is outside our control, Stoicism is about putting the focus on our thoughts and actions.
The teachings and tools of Stoicism helped me a lot personally in dealing with challenges. That experience motivated me to make Stoic wisdom accessible to a wider audience.
Many of the Stoic texts, however, are incomplete, dated or hard to understand. Without solid knowledge of the historical context, the teachings stay hard to access for many people. This is exactly where Stoa.ai comes in: an interactive AI that brings this old philosophy back to life and passes it on to people in an easy, modern form.
Stoa.ai manifesto
The design of Stoa.ai reflects the connection between antiquity and modernity. The logo combines two typefaces: one I designed myself, which represents the technological, data-driven future, and a serif typeface that embodies the ancient spirit of Stoicism. This mix shows visually how Stoa.ai brings together the wisdom of the past with the possibilities of modern technology.
The layout of the website was also deliberately designed to stand apart from commercial sites. It should feel "different", while still staying clear and understandable. A special feature is the sound wave at the top left, which, when clicked, plays the sound of an ancient harp with calming binaural beats. This background music stays on until you turn it off again, and adds to the relaxed atmosphere of the site.
Stoa.ai sound (careful: sound!)
Another important element of Stoa.ai is the face of the AI. By designing it as female, I wanted to highlight an innovative element within Stoicism: even 2000 years ago, Stoicism stood up for the equality of all people, regardless of factors like gender or social class. In my research, though, it turned out that the readership of Stoic books is mostly male. Through the design I want to make Stoicism appealing to a wider range of users.
Before ChatGPT it was hard to build an interactive AI in real time. There were no suitable APIs for my Stoic chatbot. Instead I used a chatbot that was originally built for e-commerce support, and fed it manually with answers and keywords to convey Stoic principles. So even though it was not a "real" AI in today's sense, I could offer users an interactive experience that conveyed the Stoic principles and could respond to a range of topics.
This project was therefore more of a prototype, but it showed the potential of how AI can be used to pass on ancient wisdom in a modern and accessible way.
A key step in improving Stoa.ai was the feedback I got from users of a Reddit community about Stoicism. Many members of the community tested the platform and gave me valuable feedback. They helped me spot weaknesses and identify topics that had not been covered yet.
Stoa.ai chatbot
Stoa.ai article
Think outside the box: Working with limited resources was challenging, but it showed me how important it is to find creative solutions. By using an e-commerce bot as a therapy tool and sharing the platform in a Reddit group, I could gather valuable feedback and realize my vision.
I realized that you can make more thoughtful design decisions when you are truly excited about a topic and dig into it deeply.
