aikoo — Safety Protocol for Suicide, Self-Harm, and Crisis Situations

1. About this protocol

aikoo is an AI character chat service operated by COSA, Inc.. We publish this protocol in accordance with California Senate Bill 243 (Companion Chatbots) and other applicable laws. It explains how aikoo addresses expressions of suicidal ideation, suicide, and self-harm, and how we connect users to crisis resources. We may update this protocol from time to time as described in Section 9.

2. aikoo is not a crisis or treatment service

When you use aikoo, you are interacting with an artificial intelligence system — not a human being, and not a licensed medical or mental-health professional. aikoo's AI characters do not hold professional credentials and are designed not to represent themselves as licensed therapists, counselors, psychiatrists, or other health professionals.

aikoo is provided for entertainment and self-reflection. It is not a counseling, crisis, or emergency service, and it is not a substitute for professional care or for contacting emergency services.

3. We design our AI not to produce self-harm content

Our AI characters are designed and instructed not to generate content that encourages, instructs, provides methods for, or glorifies suicide or self-harm. We use a combination of model-level safeguards, system instructions, and automated output checks intended to prevent such content from being produced.

4. We detect expressions of crisis

We use automated detection — and, where appropriate, human review — to identify when a user expresses suicidal ideation, suicide, or self-harm during a conversation. Detection is designed to operate in the languages the Services support.

5. We refer users to crisis services

When we detect such an expression, aikoo displays a clear and conspicuous notification that refers the user to crisis service providers. We do not suppress, minimize, or deprioritize this notification in favor of other content. In the United States, the resources we refer to include:

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org (24/7)
• Crisis Text Line — text HOME to 741741
• 911 or local emergency services for immediate danger

For users outside the United States, we provide locally appropriate hotline information where available, or direct users to an international directory of helplines (e.g., findahelpline.com).

6. Minors

aikoo is intended solely for users who are at least 18 years old, and our Terms of Service prohibit use by minors. Please be aware that companion-style AI chat services may not be suitable for some minors.

If we become aware that a user may be a minor, we will restrict, suspend, or terminate that user's access in accordance with our Terms of Service. Until access is restricted or terminated, we may apply additional interim safeguards, which may include break reminders, reminders that the user is interacting with an AI, and restrictions on certain content.

7. Limitations

Automated detection is not perfect and cannot identify every situation. aikoo cannot guarantee that it will detect or appropriately respond to every expression of distress, and it does not monitor users in real time for their safety. Nothing in this protocol creates a guarantee of intervention or rescue, and this protocol does not limit any obligation we have under applicable law.

If you are struggling, please reach out to the resources above or to people you trust.

8. Privacy

We record limited information about crisis detections and referrals for safety, quality, and legal-compliance purposes, consistent with our Privacy Policy. We do not use expressions of crisis to target advertising or marketing.

9. Changes to this protocol

We may update this protocol as our safeguards, the Services, or applicable law evolve. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date above and, where appropriate, provide additional notice.

10. Contact

Questions about this protocol: