They're built for different things. Storyworth sends weekly prompts by email or text and compiles the answers, photos and any phone recordings into a printed book. AIGriefBot's Legacy is a guided interview across every chapter of a life, and the answers become an AI companion your family can talk with: ask it questions, and it tells the stories the way they were told, in their words.
If you want a physical book, Storyworth (or a similar service) is the better choice. If you want the stories to be something people can have a conversation with, especially grandchildren who'll never meet them, that's what we built. Some families do both.
How Legacy works
They answer, at their own pace
A guided interview with questions across every chapter of a life, typed or spoken. A family member can sit with them, or you can import transcripts of interviews you've already done.
The big stories stay whole
The war, the business, how they met: long stories are kept in one piece, in their words, and can grow across several sessions.
The family can talk with them
Children and grandchildren ask questions and hear the answers told the way they told them, always clearly an AI recreation. With a recording, it can answer in a voice modelled on theirs.
What it can't do
- There's no printed book. You can download everything that's been recorded, but it isn't a keepsake on a shelf.
- It answers from what was recorded, nothing more. If something was never said, it says so.
- It's not a replacement for sitting with them. The best interviews happen with a family member beside them.
Questions people ask
How much does Storyworth cost compared with AIGriefBot?
Storyworth is sold as a yearly purchase that includes a printed book; check their site for current prices. AIGriefBot's Legacy Package is $299 once, with the first year of storage included and $49 a year after. You can start a legacy free.
Can my parent do it without being good with technology?
Yes. They can answer by talking instead of typing, and many families do it together, with a son, daughter or grandchild reading the questions aloud.
Can I use stories we already collected?
Yes. Transcripts of interviews or recordings can be imported, and long stories can be kept whole.
Is it only for parents?
No. People record grandparents, partners, and themselves.
From the journal
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