Introducing Midddle: AI at the Intersection of Human Communication

2023 was the year of LLMs.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming our personal and professional lives in unprecedented ways. The impact of Large Language Models (LLMs) on user behavior is tremendous, and it happened seemingly overnight as millions quickly adopted the technology to enhance many facets of their lives. The use cases are endless: brainstorming, copywriting, editing, research, analysis, creativity, and more.

2023 saw a significant rise in the quality of LLMs and a drop in the relative cost of leveraging them. Entrepreneurs and investors are rushing to find novel use cases for this new technology. By the end of 2024, nearly everyone will encounter LLMs embedded in their favorite web and mobile experiences.

At Religion Studio, we spent the last year integrating AI into our clients’ products and services and shared our insights about the future of AI copilots (1, 2). As a creative studio, we have plenty of ideas of our own, and it was only time until we brought them to market. Now is that time.

Communication is ripe for disruption.

Over the past 20 years, I have crafted social experiences for web, mobile, and mixed reality. Given my background and interests, I naturally gravitate towards innovation in social media, communication, and relationship building. AI will undoubtedly transform how we communicate in our personal and professional lives. The evolution of communication through the integration of AI is inevitable and exciting.

LLMs will redefine the way we communicate with each other. To a certain extent, it already has. For example, many pass their emails through ChatGPT before sending them to colleagues and clients. Seemingly overnight, this behavioral shift became commonplace. Mobile adoption took years and web took decades, whereas, ChatGPT was adopted by hundreds of millions of users in less than a year.

The world has only seen the beginning. We predict that over the next few years, the way we communicate with each other will be fundamentally disrupted by AI. 

LLMs will improve communication and, therefore, relationships.

One of the biggest challenges we face as a society is maintaining and cultivating healthy interpersonal relationships.

Text-based communication introduces many challenges, the primary challenge is the lack of context. The wrong mood, tone, or perceived intent is a recipe for disaster. We’ve all been there: a text message was misinterpreted, tension escalated, and the conversation went awry.

A 2022 study revealed that text message misinterpretation can significantly impact relationships: one-third of adults reported falling out of love due to misreading text messages. 

Additionally, 20% mistakenly believed someone was upset with them because of misinterpreted tones in texts. The study also found that 35% of adults tend to overanalyze messages from colleagues, 20% from partners, and 13% from romantic interests. This miscommunication often leads to 23% preferring in-person conversations to avoid text misunderstandings, even if it means delaying important discussions.

Professional communication isn’t immune to these challenges, too. For instance, co-founder partnerships have dissolved, and colleague relationships have been strained due to misinterpretations of emails and texts. Personally, I’ve witnessed situations where a misread email led to off-topic, heated discussions and, in one extreme case, a resignation. These incidents underscore the delicate nature of text-based communication in professional settings and its potential to negatively impact working relationships.

The lack of context cues in text communication necessitates extra effort for clarity, often making it a laborious process. Over two decades of digital product experience have taught me that users seek simplicity, not additional workload. Therefore, we aim to streamline communication, remove the “work” from conversations, and effortlessly strengthen and protect relationships.

Many others try to solve these problems indirectly; we are solving them head-on.

While many in the industry are sidestepping direct human interaction by leveraging LLMs for AI bot relationships (e.g., Replika), we believe there’s more to be excited about. Though valuable for some, this strategy misses the mark in fostering genuine human connections, which is where our true passion lies.

Recently, numerous startups (e.g., Rizz) have surfaced, offering tools for generating spontaneous openers or witty remarks, primarily in dating scenarios. While this one-off message creation has merits, we find it a fleeting novelty. More so, constantly switching apps or depending on external keyboards disrupts the natural flow of communication, turning simple text messaging into a clunky experience.

Other companies (e.g., Meeno) integrate LLMs into educational apps to improve communication skills, a commendable yet challenging endeavor. These apps demand significant behavior modifications and can often feel overwhelming. Apps aimed at long-term behavior alteration struggle to maintain user interest due to the lack of immediate, tangible rewards.

That’s why we believe this problem needs to be tackled head-on. For the first time, technology is capable of solving this problem directly.

So, without further ado, let us introduce our solution. We created a world where communication is effortless, intuitive, and naturally adaptable to each individual’s mood, intent, and relationship dynamics. Our technology doesn’t just address these challenges; it eliminates them, ensuring a frictionless and comfortable experience for all.

Introducing Midddle

Midddle is a messaging app that puts AI at the center of your conversations.

Text-based communication often lacks emotional nuance and clarity, leading to misunderstandings and ineffective exchanges. Midddle aims to address this using an AI copilot to enhance and personalize digital conversations for more meaningful and accurate communication.

How does it work?

1. Midddle revolutionizes digital communication by streamlining the process of connecting and interacting through its AI-powered messaging platform. Users can effortlessly add contacts either by inputting their phone numbers directly if they are already on Midddle, or by sending a simple SMS invitation, all while maintaining privacy without requiring access to the user’s contacts list.

2. Once connected, the act of messaging is intuitive and familiar; users type and send messages as they would with any standard app. However, Midddle’s AI subtly enhances this experience by analyzing and refining messages to ensure they are empathetically aligned with the sender’s intent, focusing on clarity, constructiveness, and maintaining a positive tone.

This unique AI intervention is designed to transform potentially problematic messages into effective communication, fostering better understanding and stronger connections.

Customizing your Tone

At Midddle, we understand that every conversation is unique, shaped by the relationship and context in which it occurs. That’s why we’ve introduced a groundbreaking feature to tailor the tone of your messages. 

Whether you’re texting a friend in a lighthearted manner or crafting a formal email to a colleague, Midddle adapts effortlessly. Our intuitive tone sliders range from Casual to Formal, and from Irreverent to Respectful, allowing you to seamlessly align your message with the appropriate tone for every conversation. This personalization ensures your messages resonate precisely as intended, bridging the emotional gap often found in digital communication.

Learning from Your Messages

Midddle isn’t just a messaging tool; it’s a learning companion. Each time the AI adjusts your message to enhance clarity and empathy, it presents an opportunity for personal growth. By tapping on an edited message, you’ll gain insights into why changes were made. Our users have found this feature enlightening, often discovering unintended tones like accusatory or dismissive language in their original texts. This feedback loop empowers you to improve your communication skills, making every interaction more effective and meaningful.

Customizing your Status

Understanding the context is key to effective communication. Midddle takes this to the next level by allowing you to set a personalized status. 

Whether you’re “in a meeting,” “commuting, or “feeling motivated”, sharing your current activity or mood adds a layer of empathy to your interactions. This feature aims to preempt misunderstandings and align expectations, fostering deeper, more empathetic connections. It’s our way of ensuring that your messages are received in the right spirit, at the right time.

Collaborative GPT

Imagine the power of AI at your fingertips, right in the middle of a chat. With Midddle, this is a reality. Simply type /midddle followed by your query, and our AI seamlessly integrates into your conversation. This feature is perfect for everything from brainstorming ideas to fact-checking in real-time. Collaborative GPT transforms your messaging experience into a shared journey of discovery and decision-making, enriching your conversations in ways never before possible.

What’s next? 

Our team is working on additional groundbreaking features currently in alpha, set to revolutionize how we connect in every type of relationship. The beta phase will see even more innovative rollouts, each tailored to enrich your interactions, whether personal or professional. As we gear up for a public launch, your feedback will be pivotal in shaping Midddle’s future.

How can I get the app? 

🚀 Private Beta Access

• Since: In beta since November 22, 2023

• How to Join: Visit midddle.ai and fill out the access request form. We’ll respond within a few days!

📱 Preorder Available

• Status: Final build uploading to the Apple App Store this week.

• Availability: Preorders open before the end of the year. Official launch in early next year!

🔔 Stay Updated

• Follow Us: For the latest updates, follow me on X or LinkedIn or Religion Studio on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date.

Thank you!

Lastly, thank you to Wouter, Tuan, Jess, and Bryant for all your hard work and for making this idea a reality. Thank you to our beta users and interviewees willing to share their relationship conflicts to give us the information we need to solve a complex problem!