BeAligned™ — Engineering Progress Update

🚀 What We Built Today

The AI reflection engine is now fully live — real-time, contextual coaching powered by Google's Gemini AI. Here's the current state:

AI Engine

✅ LIVE

Phase Transitions

✅ WORKING

Cost Per Session

~$0.002

Response Time

2-3 sec

Metric	Value
AI Model	Google Gemini 2.5 Flash
Average cost per coaching turn	$0.0003
Est. cost for full 7-phase session (~20 turns)	$0.006
Est. cost for 1,000 user sessions/month	~$6.00
User data	Private, encrypted, never shared

🧠 How the AI Coaching Works

Every time a user sends a message, the system does three things — automatically, in about 3 seconds:

1. Coaching Response — The AI reads the full conversation and responds naturally, drawing from the prompt library and tone guide you'll see below.

2. Data Extraction — A separate AI call silently reads what the user shared and extracts key information (their situation, emotions, values, etc.).

3. Readiness Check — The system checks: "Has this person done enough work in this phase to move to the next?" If yes → automatic transition.

This means the AI adapts to each person. Someone who's ready to move quickly will advance in 2-3 messages. Someone who needs more time can take 10+ messages per phase. The system follows their pace, not a script.

🔄 The 7-Phase Journey

This is the architecture from your December 2025 spec, now fully live. Each phase has its own prompt bank — sample questions that inspire the AI but don't script it.

Name It Live

Identify and articulate the situation without judgment

"What's on your mind today? Take your time — there's no rush."

"Let's narrow this down — what is the specific moment or issue that's pulling at you?"

Feel It Live

Explore the emotions beneath the surface

"Where do you feel that in your body?"

"Sometimes anger protects something softer. What might be underneath yours?"

Your Why Live

Reconnect with core values and parenting purpose

"What kind of parent do you want to be in this moment?"

"What do you want your child to learn from watching how you handle this?"

Co-Parent's Shoes Live

Explore the co-parent's possible perspective

"Without agreeing with them — what might be driving your co-parent's behavior?"

"What do you think they're most afraid of?"

Child's Shoes Live

Center the child's experience and needs

"If your child could speak freely about this situation, what would they say?"

"What does your child need to hear from you?"

Co-Create Live

Build aligned options together (user's idea first)

"Before I offer any ideas — what comes to mind for you? What might work, even imperfectly?"

"Which option feels most connected to your WHY?"

Choose & Act Live

Commit to a specific action anchored in values

"Let's make it specific. When will you do this?"

"How does this action connect back to your WHY?"

💬 Where the Voice Comes From (And What's Missing)

Right now, the AI's responses are generated by Google's Gemini AI model. We give it:

An identity — "You are BeAligned™, a calm, steady reflection guide"
14 behavior rules — One question at a time, never assume, deepen before shifting, etc.
A tone guide — "Like a trusted mentor sitting beside you"
~180 sample questions — Organized by phase and type (from your Dec 2025 architecture)

The AI uses these as inspiration but generates its own questions in the moment. This means it can adapt to any situation — but it also means it doesn't sound like you yet.

🔑 What We Need From You

The AI has the structure right, but it needs your voice. Specifically:

Review the sample questions above — Do these sound like things you would actually say to a parent? Which ones feel off?
Add your own phrases — What are the go-to things you say in real coaching sessions that always land? Your signature moves.
Flag anything that feels too "therapy-speak" — Questions like "What does that feeling tell you about what matters most to you as a parent?" might be technically correct but feel clinical. What would YOU say instead?
Provide 2-3 example conversations — Real (anonymized) exchanges from your coaching work. These help us tune the AI's natural rhythm and word choice.

Think of it this way: The AI is like a brilliant new employee who has read the handbook but hasn't shadowed you yet. It knows the framework perfectly. It just doesn't have your instincts, your word choices, your way of sitting in silence. That's what we need next.

📋 What's Next

Priority	Status
AI engine + 7-phase progression	Complete
Usage tracking + billing analytics	Complete
Admin dashboard (users, stats, promo codes)	Complete
Trina's voice + prompt refinement	Needs Your Input
Payment integration (Stripe)	Up Next
Production deployment	Up Next