I tried to make AI conversations feel less like input/output. Here’s what I learned.

Short summary

A developer reflects on year-long experiments building conversational AI that feels less transactional and metered. Key findings: removing tracking, per-minute billing, and conversation storage fundamentally changes user behavior toward openness and authenticity. The work raises a fundamental question: should AI remain an optimized tool, or evolve toward experiences that feel closer to genuine human interaction?

• •Author experimented with removing constraints: tracking, metering, and persistent storage
• •Removing friction changes user behavior toward openness and authenticity
• •Core design question: should AI prioritize efficiency or genuine conversational experience?

Generated with AI, which can make mistakes.