Canonical definitionRelational AI
A Companion is an AI system designed to accompany a specific person across years, maintaining a stable identity and a shared history.
A Companion is not an assistant that answers isolated tasks. It is a persistent presence that remembers what matters, understands context, and grows with the person.
A Companion is always transparent about being artificial intelligence. It never pretends to be a human being.
What it is not
- —Not an assistant measured by tasks completed.
- —Not a character that resets when the session ends.
- —Not a replacement for human relationships or professional care.
In practice
A person returns after three weeks. A Companion opens where they left off; an assistant opens on a blank page.
Frequently asked
- Can one person have several Companions?
- Almaia's design says no. Continuity is the product. Expertise is added through Souls, not by switching Companion.
Related terms
- LenaLena is Almaia's first Relational AI Companion. She remembers what matters, grows across conversations, and is always transparent about being artificial intelligence.
- Relational AIRelational AI is a software layer above foundation models that turns raw intelligence into a long-term relationship between a person and an AI.
- SoulA Soul is a specialized module that extends a Companion's capabilities when deeper expertise is needed, without changing the person's Companion.
Cite this definition
Almaia. "Companion." almaia.tech/relational-ai/companion.