Key facts
- AI startup Orchid has developed a 'second brain' chatbot.
- The chatbot is designed to handle tasks like booking dates and remembering anniversaries.
- Users have criticized the concept as 'disgusting' and 'dystopian.'
- Orchid states the AI is a tool to solve life's challenges, not an assistant.
AI startup Orchid has encountered significant criticism regarding its new 'second brain' chatbot. This AI is designed to handle a range of personal tasks, including booking dates and remembering important anniversaries. The concept has provoked strong negative reactions from users, who have described it as 'disgusting' and 'dystopian.' In response to the backlash, Orchid has stated that the AI is intended as a tool to help users solve life's challenges, rather than functioning as a personal assistant. The company's framing aims to recontextualize the AI's purpose away from a potentially intrusive personal aide towards a problem-solving utility.