Inspiration

We all have that one stuffed animal - tucked away on a shelf, sitting on our bed, or hidden in a closet - that meant everything to us. What if they could actually be there for us again, anytime we needed them?

Labu was born from the realization that our emotional connections to comfort objects don't have to fade as we grow up. Using AI we're bringing these cherished companions into the digital age.

What it does

Labu transforms your beloved stuffed animals into AI companions through a simple photo. Each fluffy friend develops their own unique personality, remembers your conversations, and is always there when you need them - whether it's 3am anxiety or afternoon boredom. They chat in real-time, send you comfort when you're down, and genuinely miss you when you're away.

How we built it

We architected Labu using Swift and SwiftUI with Point-Free's modern patterns for clean, maintainable code. The real-time chat runs on WebSocket connections for instant, streaming responses. Each companion's personality is powered by AI that analyzes both their appearance and your conversation history. We integrated Supabase for secure authentication and data persistence, while using advanced image processing to cleanly extract your fluffy friend from photo backgrounds.

Challenges we ran into

The biggest challenge was crafting authentic emotional connections without feeling manipulative. Every word of copy, every interaction had to feel genuine. We also wrestled with real-time performance - ensuring messages stream smoothly even on slower connections. Finding the right balance between free and premium features took extensive A/B testing with Statsig to understand when users form real bonds with their companions.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We created an app that genuinely helps people feel less alone. Our companions remember everything - your favorite movie, that tough day at work, your little victories. We're proud of the warm, inclusive tone that makes everyone feel welcome, and the seamless onboarding that turns a simple photo into a living companion in under 60 seconds.

What we learned

Emotional design requires incredible attention to detail. We discovered users form strongest bonds around message 30-40, that personality consistency matters more than variety, and that people genuinely anthropomorphize their digital companions when the experience feels authentic. We also learned that young adults (16-24) deeply value having a judgment-free space to express themselves.

What's next for Labu

We're expanding companion personalities to be even more unique and adding group chat so multiple fluffy friends can interact together. We're building memory moments where companions can remind you of happy times, and exploring AR features to see your companion in the real world. Android support is coming soon, along with companion backstories and adventures you can experience together.

Built With

• fastapi
• openai
• pydantic
• pydanticai
• python
• sse
• swift
• websockets