Imagine yourself 30 years in the future….
How vividly can you imagine your future self?
Inspired by studies showing how increased “future self-continuity”—the degree of continuity an individual feels with their future self—can positively influence saving behavior, academic performance, mental health, and subjective quality of life, our interactive, web-based chat platform seeks to similarly help users develop more long-term thinking and behavior by strengthening their relationship with a relatable yet virtual version of their future selves. The conversation with the future self is generated in real-time via a large language model that has been personalized based on a pre-intervention survey assessing user future goals and personal qualities. Have a chat with your future self!
This experience designed primarily for students to envision their 60-70 years old self.
Future You is an interactive experience for cultivating self-reflection and long-term thinking
Engage with your virtual self to nurture personal growth and human flourishing
How it works
Future You is a web-based platform that lets you chat with a personalized version of your future self. Our system uses advanced AI to create a realistic conversation partner based on information you provide.
The Research
In our study involving 344 participants revealed that after interacting with their “Future You” character, users experienced reduced anxiety and a stronger connection to their future selves. This research demonstrates how the virtual self can enhance an individual’s sense of future self-continuity and overall wellbeing.
FAQ
What happens to my data?
We anonymize and collect your survey responses and your conversation with your future self for further research to improve Future You.
How accurate is Future You?
Future You cannot predict specific details about your future life–rather, it aims to paint a vivid and realistic picture of what your future life could be like. Our goal is to help illuminate future pathways that may otherwise seem ambiguous, uncertain, or unclear.
Why doesn’t my future self seem like me?
The conversation with the future self is generated in real-time via a large language model that has been personalized based on a pre-intervention survey assessing user future goals and personal qualities. Therefore, its responses are largely dependent on both its foundational model and the data collected in the pre-intervention survey. We recommend being as detailed as possible in the initial survey for the best possible experience.
Is this tool right for me?
Future You is an intervention grounded in empirical and theoretical research on the benefits of future self-continuity as it relates to improvements in long-term thinking, academic performance, financial savings, and mental health and wellbeing. The primary goal of this project is to support reflection on future paths. Read more about our research in our preprint article, linked here.
Curious about what’s next for Future You?
We’re currently looking to make the platform more accessible and to collaborate with institutions to support young people in envisioning their futures. To learn more about ways you can get involved, contact us here or email us at futureyoumit@gmail.com
Research Team
Pat Pataranutaporn, MIT
Peggy Yin, Harvard University
Hal Hershfield, UCLA
Pattie Maes, MIT
Kavin Winson, KBTG
Thanawit Prasongpongchai , KBTG
Auttasak Lapapirojn, KBTG
Monchai Lertsutthiwong, KBTG
This project is supported by KBTG as part of MIT Media Lab Research Consortium
If you feel like sharing your thoughts online, please use the hashtag: #MITFutureYou
Email us at futureyoumit@gmail.com