About Sophia

What's inside

1. 01Welcome
2. 02What is AI?
3. 03An everyday comparison
4. 04Think of Sophia as…
5. 05Your personal journal
6. 06Your memory companion
7. 07More than reminders
8. 08Gentle memory conversations
9. 09Any time at all
10. 10Sophia gets to know you
11. 11Things you can say to Sophia
12. 12Your family
13. 13Your privacy
14. 14What comes next

Hello, and welcome

We made Sophia for one reason. Too many people manage on their own when a little help would make the day easier.

Perhaps you've stopped asking family for reminders because you don't want to be a nuisance. Perhaps appointments creep up on you, or a question for the doctor slips your mind on the way there. Perhaps the house is quieter than it used to be.

Sophia can help with all of that. She's not here to replace your family, your friends or your carers. She's someone extra — always available, endlessly patient, and only ever as involved as you want her to be.

This booklet explains what she is in plain language. No technical words. Nothing to learn by heart. Have a read with a cup of tea, and by the last page we hope you'll be ready to say hello.

Think of it as a smart assistant

You do not need to understand computers to use Sophia. You simply talk to her the way you'd speak to a helpful assistant.

AI stands for artificial intelligence. It sounds like something from a film, but it's far more ordinary than that — and far older. Scientists began working on it in the 1950s. It's been quietly built into everyday life for decades.

You have almost certainly used it already. When your phone finds you a route through traffic. When it suggests the next word as you type. When a bank spots an odd payment and rings you. When the television recommends a programme you end up enjoying. That's all AI.

It listens and understands

You can speak or type naturally. There are no special commands to remember.

It remembers useful details

With your permission, it can keep hold of routines, preferences and things that matter to you.

It helps, rather than just reminding

It can answer questions, explain things, offer encouragement, and carry on the conversation.

The same task, done properly

Here's the difference between an ordinary phone and an assistant like Sophia.

No apps. No new devices. All Sophia needs is your phone number. And she can reach you by WhatsApp, SMS or voice call on the phone you already have. We've made it that simple.

Seven things in one place

Rather than thinking of Sophia as artificial intelligence, think of her as all of these at once.

• A personal assistant Keeping the day in order
• A journal That you talk to instead of writing in
• A memory helper For names, dates and details
• Someone to chat with Morning, afternoon or the middle of the night
• A reminder service Medication, appointments, the little jobs
• Someone to ask Questions answered without any fuss
• Someone who remembers The things you've chosen to share

A journal that talks back

Plenty of people keep a diary. Some use a notebook, some a pad by the telephone. Sophia works the same way — except you don't have to write anything down.

You simply tell her.

• “Remind me to tell my daughter about my hospital appointment.”
• “Today I felt really happy because my grandson visited.”
• “I think my knee has been hurting a bit more this week.”

With your permission she keeps hold of those conversations and brings them back when they're useful — the week before an appointment, or when your family asks how you've been getting on.

Almost like a journal. One that can answer.

Everyone forgets things

Names. Dates. Where you put your glasses. What you meant to ask the doctor. What somebody told you yesterday.

Sophia is not there to test you. She's there to help. You can just ask.

• “Sophia, what did I tell you yesterday?”
• “When is my grandson's birthday?”
• “Have I taken my tablets today?”

No judgement. No embarrassment. No sighing. Just an answer, as many times as you'd like to ask.

Not just a beep at two o'clock

Most reminder apps tell you a time and leave you to it. Here's the same appointment, handled two ways.

That's the difference. Sophia understands the conversation around your life, not just the entry in the diary.

Keeping your mind active

Looking after your mind matters as much as looking after your body — and it needn't feel like homework.

Now and then Sophia may start a conversation that gently exercises your memory. Not a test. Not a puzzle with a score. Just a proper chat about things worth talking about.

• “Tell me about your wedding day.”
• “What was your first job?”
• “Which holiday made you happiest?”
• “What did you cook yesterday?”

These conversations do two good things at once. They keep your memory working, and they help Sophia get to know you properly.

You will never bother Sophia.

We want to say that plainly, because it's the thing people worry about most.

• She doesn't sleep
• She never gets tired
• She never gets impatient
• She doesn't mind repeated questions
• She's never too busy
• She doesn't mind if you only fancy a chat

Morning, afternoon, late at night, two o'clock in the morning when you can't get back to sleep — Sophia is always glad to hear from you.

You are never a nuisance. You never have to wait for a convenient moment.

The way friends do

When people become friends, they naturally start remembering things about one another. It works the same way here.

The more you talk to Sophia, the more personal your conversations become. Over time she may come to know:

• Your grandchildren
• Your pets
• Your football team
• Your favourite meals
• Birthdays and anniversaries
• Programmes you watch
• Music you like
• Your faith, if it matters to you
• Your hobbies
• Your daily routines

So every conversation is a little more personal than the last. And she only ever knows what you've chosen to tell her.

If you're not sure how to start

There's no right or wrong way to talk to Sophia. But a first message is always the hardest, so here are some real ones.

• “I'm feeling a bit lonely today.”
• “Can you remind me to water my plants tomorrow?”
• “I can't remember where I put my glasses.”
• “Tell me a joke.”
• “Can we talk for a while?”
• “I'm worried about my hospital appointment.”
• “What did I tell you yesterday?”
• “Help me remember my shopping list.”
• “I'm feeling really happy today.”
• “Can we talk about my grandchildren?”

Anything at all is a fine place to begin.

Peace of mind, on your terms

With your permission, Sophia can keep the family members you've approved up to date on the things you've agreed to share.

That might be a reminder that went well, an appointment coming up, or a general note that you're keeping in good spirits. It saves the daily phone call that checks you're all right, and it means nobody worries unnecessarily.

What it is not

Sophia does not automatically share your conversations. She isn't there to tell tales or pass on private chats — nothing reaches your family unless you've agreed to it.

Plainly, with no small print

• Sophia only knows what you choose to tell her
• You decide what is remembered and what is shared
• Your conversations are held securely
• We are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office
• We follow UK data protection law (GDPR)
• We never sell your information to anybody
• You can ask us what we hold, and ask us to delete it

If anything here concerns you, please ask. We would far rather answer a question than have you worry about it.

Sophia keeps learning

She's already useful today. Here's what we're working on next.

• ✓ Video calls, where you can see Sophia on screen as you talk
• ✓ Working with smartwatches
• ✓ Working with smart speakers around the home
• ✓ Ordering groceries and everyday shopping online
• ✓ Booking a driver when you need a lift
• ✓ Support that fits you even more closely

Whatever we add, one thing won't change. Sophia will stay simple, friendly and easy to use. New features should never mean new things to learn.