AI Companionship, Explained
AI companionship is a new category. The shorthand "AI therapist" is wrong on two counts, it's not therapy, and a tool can't hold a license. This pillar walks through what an AI companion for emotional wellness actually is, the frameworks it draws from, and the research backing it up.
In this pillar
- 01AuraLift vs Woebot: Two Categories, Not Two BrandsA category-level comparison of AuraLift and Woebot: their stated positioning, evidence base, target audience, safety frame, and where each fits.
- 02What an AI Companion Can and Cannot DoA capabilities-and-limits map: what an AI companion can do, what it's mediocre at, and what it should never do.
- 03Is AI Companion Support Effective?A grounded review of what the research actually shows about the effectiveness of AI companion support, with emphasis on study design and what gets oversold.
- 04AI Companion vs. TherapistWhere the boundary between an AI companion and therapy actually sits, legally, ethically, clinically. Who each is built for, and how to choose.
- 05What Is an AI Companion for Emotional Wellness?A plain-language definition of AI companion support, the research lineage it draws from, and the line between companionship and clinical care.
Other pillars in AuraLift Resources
- The "I'm Fine" HabitFor the people who are functioning, but not thriving, and have been told no problem is real until it becomes one.
- Wellness PracticesConcrete techniques drawn from CBT, DBT, ACT, and mindfulness, described plainly, with when to use each.
- Trust, Safety, and Ethics in AI WellnessHow AuraLift handles risk, why we refuse to diagnose, what data leaves your device, and how we think about AI-companion ethics.