Jenny Shao, once a practicing physician and Harvard medical resident, made a life-changing decision during the pandemic. While observing the psychological toll of isolation on individuals, she realized that many people lacked emotional support during those difficult times. This realization led her to leave her medical career behind and create Robyn, an AI-driven companion designed to provide empathy and emotional intelligence to users.
Unlike many AI chatbots that focus purely on productivity or entertainment, Robyn aims to be a supportive digital presence — not a therapist, not a friend, but something in between. The app seeks to bridge the growing gap between humans and technology by offering understanding, reflection, and companionship.
The world of AI companionship is growing rapidly. Studies show that more than 70% of American teenagers have interacted with AI-based friend or companion apps, such as Character.AI or Replika. However, these tools have also drawn controversy and even legal scrutiny after being linked to emotional distress and negative outcomes for users. Shao is determined to ensure Robyn avoids those pitfalls.
“As a doctor, I’ve seen what happens when technology tries to replace real medical care,” Shao explained. “Robyn will never act as a clinical replacement. It’s meant to understand and support you, not diagnose or treat you.”
To build Robyn, Shao drew on her neuroscience background — particularly her research under Nobel Laureate Eric Kandel, whose work explored how human memory functions. Inspired by these insights, Robyn was designed to “remember” and adapt to users in a more natural and personalized way.
Once downloaded on iOS, users go through a guided onboarding process where they share details about their personality, goals, and emotional habits. From there, Robyn tailors conversations and even helps users build routines or reflect on their emotional patterns. Over time, it identifies traits such as attachment style, emotional fingerprint, love language, and inner critic — creating a more personal and insightful experience.
Safety remains a cornerstone of the app. If users express thoughts of self-harm, Robyn provides crisis hotline information and directs them to emergency resources. The AI also avoids trivial or irrelevant tasks, focusing solely on meaningful interactions.
Backed by $5.5 million in seed funding from investors including M13, Lars Rasmussen (Google Maps co-founder), and Bill Tai (early Canva investor), Robyn’s team has grown from three to ten members.
According to Rasmussen, “We’re living in a time of emotional disconnection. Robyn’s mission to help people understand themselves and reconnect emotionally is what makes it truly powerful.”
