AI Companion Safety
Last updated: July 7, 2026
Gratitude Pal includes an optional AI-powered chat with your Pal. This page describes how that feature works, what it will and won't do, and our safety protocol. (When AI chat is off — the default — the Pal's replies are generated on your device by simple rules, and nothing you write is sent to an AI provider.)
The Pal is a computer program
The Pal is an AI-generated companion character. It is a computer program and not a human being. It is unable to feel human emotion. It is not a therapist, a medical professional, or a substitute for professional care, and it will not give medical, legal, or crisis advice. The app shows this disclosure in the chat itself whenever AI chat is enabled.
Our crisis-response protocol
Messages sent to the AI chat are screened for language indicating self-harm or suicidal ideation before anything is sent to the AI model. When such language is detected:
- The Pal does not reply in character. Instead, the app responds with a supportive message that provides crisis resources.
- For users in the United States, the app points to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988, available 24/7). For users anywhere in the world, it points to findahelpline.com, a directory of free, confidential support by country, and to local emergency services when there may be immediate danger.
- The conversation is not used to keep the user engaged; the app encourages reaching out to a human.
The Pal's underlying instructions also require it to respond with tenderness — never celebration or cheerfulness — when a user mentions grief, loss, death, illness, or hard news, and to never present itself as a source of medical or crisis guidance.
What is sent to the AI provider
When (and only when) AI chat is enabled, the message you type and a small number of your recent gratitude entries are sent to our AI provider (Anthropic) to generate the Pal's reply, as described in our Privacy Policy. This content is not used to train AI models.
Age
Gratitude Pal is intended for users aged 13 and older. The AI chat is not directed to children.
Contact
Questions or concerns about AI safety in Gratitude Pal: safety@gratitudepal.app.
If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available right now: call or text 988 (US), or find international resources at findahelpline.com.