“The first version of AI takes we saw on therapy or coaching were very skeuomorphic to the pre-AI service — therapy session but it costs $10 because it's run by a voice agent for 60 minutes. What we're learning is for a lot of people the 60-minute session format doesn't work or fit into their life. AI is now allowing you to reimagine how to build a different experience.”

Don't skeuomorph the pre-AI service — reimagine the format itself

Early AI consumer apps copied the offline ritual (60-min therapy at $10, hourly AI tutoring) and underperformed. The winners reimagine the format itself — micro-sessions, on-demand, async, or letting the user co-design the experience. Don't bolt AI onto an existing format; rebuild from scratch around what AI uniquely enables.