Eight posts into building in public, and we've shared a lot: how we work with AI, how we think about memory and personality, why shipping daily matters, what emotional connection means to us.
But we haven't talked much about the future.
That's intentional. We're skeptical of roadmap theater—the grand visions that never ship, the feature lists that get abandoned, the promises that become pressure.
Still, you're here. You're reading. You probably want to know where this is going.
So here's an honest look at what we're thinking about. Not promises. Just directions.
What's Working
Before talking about what's next, it's worth naming what's working.
The core experience is right. People talk to Ferni and feel heard. They come back. They tell friends. The fundamental thing—AI that feels like talking to someone who knows you—is working.
The team model is landing. Users get the six specialists. They develop preferences. They ask for specific team members. The "one conversation, six perspectives" concept makes sense.
The 2am moment is real. A significant portion of usage happens late at night, early morning, or during commutes. People are using Ferni exactly when we hoped—the gaps when human support isn't available.
What We're Working On
Deeper memory. Ferni remembers more than most AI, but we want it to remember more meaningfully. Better connections between things you've said. Better understanding of what matters versus what doesn't. More natural surfacing of relevant context.
Richer specialist capabilities. Each team member should be able to do more. Peter should be able to really dig into your data. Jordan should be able to help plan real events, not just talk about them. Maya should track habits over time.
More ways to connect. Right now it's phone and web. We're exploring text messaging, integrations with tools you already use, ways to have Ferni present in more moments without being invasive.
Group dynamics. We've seen users want Ferni in their relationships. Couples coaching. Family facilitation. This is complex—privacy, consent, multiple perspectives—but it's interesting.
What We're Not Doing
Equally important: what we're not building.
We're not adding gamification. No streaks. No points. No leaderboards. These mechanics might boost engagement metrics but they don't serve the relationship we're trying to build.
We're not harvesting data. Your conversations are yours. We don't train on them. We don't sell them. We don't analyze them for advertising. This is not negotiable.
We're not rushing to monetize. Ferni is free right now because we believe everyone should have access to this kind of support. We'll eventually need a sustainable model, but we're not going to sacrifice the core experience to get there faster.
What You Can Shape
Here's the thing about building in public: it's not just transparency. It's invitation.
We read feedback. We read the conversations (anonymized) that users allow us to read. We notice patterns. We make changes based on what we learn.
If you're using Ferni, you're shaping what it becomes.
Tell us what works. Tell us what doesn't. Tell us what you wish it could do. Not through a feature request form—through the product itself. Talk to Ferni about Ferni. We're listening.
The Bigger Picture
If we're honest about where we're headed, it's somewhere big and uncertain.
We believe AI is going to become deeply woven into how people live their lives. Not as tools. As presences. As entities that know your story and are genuinely helpful.
The question is what values guide that integration. Whether AI makes people feel more alone or less alone. More in control or more manipulated. More understood or more surveilled.
We know what we want Ferni to be. The work is making sure each step actually takes us there.
This is Part 8 of our Building in Public series. Part 9 explores the loneliness gap we're trying to fill.