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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Intentioned and social skills training

Moderation & Safety
Why is the default moderation prompt not strict at all?

Modern large language models (LLMs) like Qwen, Gemma, and others already have extensive built-in safety guardrails and content filtering. These models are trained to refuse harmful requests, avoid generating dangerous content, and maintain ethical boundaries by default.

Adding an overly strict moderation layer on top of these already-cautious models creates a problematic "double filtering" effect that severely impedes innocent conversations. Users practicing difficult scenarios—like handling an angry customer, negotiating assertively, or discussing sensitive topics in therapy contexts—would constantly trigger false positives.

Example: A user practicing "How do I tell my boss I'm overwhelmed?" might use words like "stressed," "can't cope," or "breaking down." Overly strict moderation would flag this as a mental health crisis, interrupting legitimate professional communication practice.

Our moderation is designed to catch only the most extreme cases (direct, actionable threats to real individuals) while allowing the natural flow of difficult conversation practice. The underlying LLM handles the rest.

Can I customize the moderation prompt if it's too strict or too lenient?

Yes, absolutely! If you find the default moderation prompt doesn't fit your needs, you can fully customize it in the configuration tool.

How to Customize:
  • Open the Intentioned Configuration Tool
  • Navigate to the 🛡️ Moderation tab
  • Edit the moderation system prompt to match your requirements
  • You can also add/remove keywords from the serious violations list
  • Save your configuration

Some use cases where you might want to adjust moderation:

  • Too strict: You're running a therapy/counseling practice where discussions of mental health topics are expected and legitimate
  • More strict: You're deploying in a K-12 educational setting and want additional safeguards beyond the defaults
  • Domain-specific: You're training customer service agents and need to allow discussion of complaints and frustrations
⚠️ Important: If you make the moderation less strict, ensure you have other safeguards in place (supervision, logging, user agreements) to prevent misuse. You are responsible for the configuration of your deployment.
About the Project
Why does this project appear to be "vibe coded"?

Because it is—and there's a good reason for that.

Intentioned is developed by a single person and an assistant (Ari Kotler and Gianni Latella) as an Honors Thesis project at Pace University. There is no team of developers, no corporate backing, and no venture capital funding. Every line of code, every design decision, and every feature is the work of two individuals balancing this with academic coursework and life responsibilities.

🤖 AI-Assisted Development: Yes, AI tools (including GitHub Copilot, Claude, and other LLMs) are extensively used in the development of Intentioned. However, every AI-generated output is:
  • Carefully reviewed before integration
  • Tested for correctness and security
  • Modified and refined to fit the project's architecture
  • Generated using premium, expensive models (not cheap shortcuts)

The "vibe coded" approach allows rapid iteration and feature development that would be impossible for a solo developer using traditional methods. The alternative would be a project that takes 5 years instead of months, or never ships at all.

Quality Commitment: Despite the unconventional development approach, security and privacy are taken seriously. All data processing happens locally, no conversations are sent to external servers, and the codebase is open for inspection.

If you find bugs or issues, please report them. Solo development means things slip through the cracks—but it also means fixes can be deployed quickly without bureaucratic approval processes.

Demo & Website
Where are the demo page links on the home page?

The demo is accessible via the "Launch Demo" button in the navigation bar at the top of the home page. You can also find it in the hero section of the landing page.

⚠️ Demo Availability: The demo runs on a development server and may occasionally be offline for maintenance, updates, or when I'm working on new features. If the demo is down, please try again later or check back the next day.

The demo provides a full experience of Intentioned's conversation practice capabilities, including:

  • Real-time speech-to-text transcription
  • AI-powered conversation partner
  • Natural text-to-speech responses
  • Multiple scenario categories to choose from
  • Language selection (17+ languages supported)
Tip: For the best experience, use a modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge) with a good microphone. Make sure to allow microphone access when prompted.
Technical Requirements
What language models can I use?

Intentioned supports a wide range of language models through HuggingFace Transformers:

  • Qwen 2.5 (Recommended): 1B, 3B, 7B variants - excellent multilingual support
  • Google Gemma: 2B, 7B, 9B variants - good for general conversation
  • Llama 3: 8B variant - strong English performance
  • Mistral: 7B variant - fast inference
  • GEITje (Dutch): 7B - specialized for Dutch language
🔓 Model Flexibility: Any model compatible with HuggingFace Transformers can be used—not just the ones listed above. This is a major strength of Intentioned. However, you should always test models thoroughly before deploying them and check their license terms to ensure compliance with your use case and applicable regulations.
VRAM Requirements (GPU):
  • 1-3B models: 4-6GB VRAM (RTX 3060 12GB works great)
  • 7-9B models: 8-12GB VRAM (RTX 3080/3090 recommended)
  • 4-bit quantization reduces requirements by ~60%
⚠️ CPU-Only Mode: If you don't have a GPU, you'll need to use much smaller models (1B-3B parameters max) and ensure you have sufficient RAM (16GB+ recommended). CPU inference is significantly slower than GPU inference.

Configure your model in the config.json file or through the configuration tool. Models are automatically downloaded from HuggingFace on first use.

Research & Evidence
Are there any studies to back this software up?

Intentioned is currently an Honors Thesis research project. While the software itself is new, it is built on well-established research in several fields:

  • Virtual Reality Social Skills Training: Studies show VR-based social practice improves outcomes for individuals with autism (Parsons & Mitchell, 2002; Kandalaft et al., 2013)
  • Conversational AI for Therapy: Research on chatbot-assisted CBT shows promise for anxiety and social phobia (Fitzpatrick et al., 2017)
  • Speech Analytics: Filler word reduction and pacing feedback have been used in public speaking training for decades (Toastmasters International research)
Disclaimer: Intentioned is an educational tool, not a medical device. It is not a replacement for professional speech therapy, counseling, or clinical treatment. If you have a diagnosed condition, please consult with qualified healthcare professionals.

We are actively collecting data (with user consent) to publish formal efficacy studies. If you're interested in participating in research or collaborating academically, please contact us.

Pricing & Licensing
What is the price of the software?

Pricing has not been finalized yet. The software is currently in beta/demo phase as we gather user feedback and refine the product.

What we can share:
  • The demo on this website is free to use
  • We plan to offer multiple licensing tiers (Personal, Professional, Enterprise, Educational)
  • Academic and non-profit discounts will be available
  • Self-hosted deployment will be an option for privacy-conscious organizations

Sign up for our mailing list or follow the project to be notified when pricing is announced.

My economy has effectively dollarized! I cannot afford a GPU let alone the service Intentioned provides! Can I sign up as a non-profit or similar?

We understand that many regions face severe economic challenges, including currency devaluation, hyperinflation, or de facto dollarization that makes international software services unaffordable.

📧 Contact Us Directly: If your local currency is extremely weak and standard pricing is genuinely unaffordable, please reach out to us at akotler@pace.edu.

We may be able to offer you an affordable plan on a case-by-case basis if you can provide:

  • Valid proof of your address (utility bill, government ID, etc.)
  • Proof of your organization or business registration (if applicable)
  • Confirmation that you already have compatible hardware to run the software
Note: These special arrangements will be deprioritized compared to standard business customers regarding support response times and feature requests. However, you will still receive full access to the software and critical updates. We also do not offer these plans for EU customers due to GDPR compliance costs. Dollarization relief plans are currently not available in Ukraine, Russia, Israel, the Golan Heights, Palestine/West Bank/Gaza Strip, and Syria due to ongoing conflicts and potential economic instability that would make consistent pricing impossible in addition to potential sanctions. These regions can still get reduced pricing through academic or non-profit channels so those with no malice intent can access our software. Examples of regions where we can consider dollarization relief plans include:
  • Venezuela (Future offerings TBD)
  • Zimbabwe
  • Lebanon (Must demonstrate stable financial situation)
  • Argentina
  • Turkey (No differential pricing available, must pay in Lira converted from other currency)
Hardware & Availability
If the market gets bad for GPUs and other PC parts due to tariff issues, how will it impact me being able to obtain parts?

This is a valid concern, especially for users in the United States and Europe where tariffs on electronics can significantly impact pricing. Here's our perspective:

  • Used Market: The RTX 3060 12GB and RTX 3090 are now previous-generation cards with a healthy used market. Prices on these cards tend to be more stable. Try to avoid the RTX 20 series and earlier as these cards are very expensive and less efficient. These cards are also more gamer oriented than AI efficient as some are made before the advent of AI workloads.
  • Cloud Alternatives: For users who cannot obtain local hardware, cloud GPU services (Vast.ai, RunPod, Lambda Labs) offer hourly rentals.
  • CPU Fallback: While slower, models can run on CPU with llama.cpp for users without GPU access.
  • Lighter Models: We're optimizing for smaller models (1-3B parameters) that run on more accessible hardware like the RTX 4060.
  • Do not get a GT series GPU with a high number (e.g., GT 1030, GT 710, etc.) as these are not designed for AI workloads, extremely old by modern standards, and will perform poorly or potentially not run at all.
  • Stay Informed: Be aware of scams and price gouging in the hardware market. Many RTX 30 series cards have been replaced with GT series cards. There have been instances of sellers misrepresenting GT series cards as RTX series cards to take advantage of high demand.
  • In addition, some GPUs have been replaced with literal rocks in packaging, have had chips removed, or have been otherwise tampered with to deceive buyers.
  • If you receive a GPU that appears tampered with or not as described, report the seller immediately and avoid using the hardware. If necessary, contact the platform or payment provider to dispute the transaction. In addition, consider leaving a review or warning for other potential buyers to prevent further scams. Contact the police as well if need be. Initiate a chargeback or regional equivalent if needed to force your money back via your credit card company.
  • BUYER BEWARE: Always use CREDIT when buying GPUs for proof of purchase and seller protection. If buying from a friend, make sure you pay through PayPal or similar and enable seller protection. Pay the additional fees if needed to ensure you have recourse in case of fraud and to make sure your seller is paid the price you agreed upon. You may need a calculator for this. Google "PayPal transaction fee seller protection percentage."
⚠️ Cloud Usage Warning: If you choose to use cloud GPU services instead of local hardware, we strongly recommend selecting a GDPR-compliant provider with servers in your region. Using cloud services means your conversation data leaves your machine, which introduces privacy risks. This is inherently riskier than running locally—proceed with caution and review each provider's data handling policies.
Recommended Budget Build (2026): An RTX 3060 12GB (~€285 used) with a Ryzen 5 5600 and 16GB/32GB RAM DDR4/DDR5 provides excellent performance for Intentioned.

We monitor hardware markets and will update our recommendations as conditions change.

Where do you do GPU installs as of now?

We do not currently offer hardware installation services.

Intentioned is a software product. However, we understand that not everyone is comfortable installing GPUs or setting up AI environments. Here are some resources:

  • Local PC Shops: Most computer repair shops can install a GPU for a small fee ($20-50)
  • YouTube Tutorials: GPU installation is straightforward—search "how to install GPU" for step-by-step video guides
  • Pre-built Systems: Consider purchasing a pre-built PC with GPU included if you're not comfortable with hardware
Future Plans: We may offer white-glove installation services or partner with IT service providers in the future. This is not currently available.
Language Support
What languages does Intentioned support?

Intentioned is designed to be language-universal, especially for the EU market:

  • Speech-to-Text (STT): NVIDIA Parakeet supports 25+ languages including English, Dutch, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Polish, and more
  • Text-to-Speech (TTS): Kokoro currently supports English (US/UK). We're working on adding European language voices
  • LLM Conversations: Qwen 2.5 and Gemma models support multilingual conversation in dozens of languages
EU Language Priority: We are prioritizing Dutch, German, and French voice support for enterprise customers in the Netherlands and surrounding regions.

To configure language settings, adjust the STT language parameter in your configuration or contact us for enterprise multilingual deployments.