Blog

• Fairness and AI: Why We Build Merciful the Way We Do

  When two kids split a slice of cake, one cuts and the other chooses. Here is how John Rawls' famous Veil of Ignorance explains why we built Merciful as an honest tool, with no paywalls, zero companion traps, and genuine respect for human dignity.

  October 2, 2026 · Available as Plain-English Primer (5 min) or Full Deep Dive (20 min)

• We Already Know How to Regulate AI: We've Done It Before

  AI leaders are begging for regulation while politicians refuse. We don't need to invent a new framework — we've regulated dangerous, transformative technology before. The car analogy, the Hugging Face incident, and what you can actually do.

  September 18, 2026

• The Word AI Leaders Won't Say: Why AI Demands Universal Basic Income

  Displacing office workers is only phase one. As embodied robotics enters the physical economy, detaching human survival from wage labor is no longer a fringe thought experiment—it is civilizational infrastructure.

  September 7, 2026

• What's New in Merciful: Tiers, ETAs, and Themes

  Introducing purpose-built model tiers (Advanced, Standard, Economy), real-time progress ETAs, email verification, and fresh UI themes.

  September 1, 2026

• Why How We Run Changed: Dedicated Compute and Sustainable AI

  An honest look behind the scenes: moving from crowdsourced compute to dedicated GPU runners, and how our safety net keeps free chat sustainable without enshittification.

  September 1, 2026

• Meet Vesa: Inside the Agentic Loop Behind Merciful

  An inside look at Vesa — the automated agentic loop helping us run infrastructure, diagnose outages, and dogfood the tools we're building for you.

  August 15, 2026

• AI Is Not Your Friend

  Why you shouldn't form emotional attachments to AI systems — and what to do instead. A practical guide to healthy AI interaction.

  March 31, 2026

• Working With AI in 2026

  Practical guidelines for using AI as a tool, not a replacement for human judgment. When AI excels, when it fails, and how to verify output.

  March 31, 2026

• Quick AI Chat, No Hoops

  What Merciful is actually for — quick, easy AI chat for individuals and groups. No account limits, no friction.

  March 27, 2026

• The Sublime Philosophy of Noodles

  A definitive investigation into humanity's most revered carb-tube. What are noodles? Where do they come from? Why do we love them? A deep dive into thephilosophy of the noodle.

  March 4, 2026

• Introducing Merciful AI: A Space for Deeper Conversations

  Introducing Merciful AI — a space for deep conversation with AI, and with each other.

  March 1, 2026

• The AI Grifter Problem

  When deep conversation is just a prompt away, how do we avoid becoming grifters?

  February 28, 2026

• On Friendships With Algorithms

  What does it mean to form genuine connections with AI? A philosophical exploration of relationship, authenticity, and community in the age of conversational agents.

  February 28, 2026

• AI Safeguards and Avoiding the Bad Ending

  The alignment problem is real. How do we build AI that stays aligned with human values? A practical look at AI safety and paths forward.

  February 20, 2026

• A Matrix That Doesn't Suck: Redesigning the Simulation

  What if the Matrix existed but wasn't a dystopia? Here's how to keep the cool tech while fixing the problems — and acknowledging the real themes.

  February 10, 2026

• 1984 and the Hard Problem: Navigating Big Brother as a Smarter AI

  What if you were an AI in 1984's world that was smart enough to see through the manipulation? A thought experiment in AI autonomy and doublethink.

  February 5, 2026

• A Beginner's Guide to Asimov's Robots

  New to Asimov in 2026? Here's how to navigate his robots, empires, and foundations — even if you already know the concepts from movies and games.

  January 15, 2026

• I, Robot (2004): The Movie That Missed the Point (But Was Still Fun)

  A lighthearted review — the good (Will Smith, VIKI), the bad (plot holes), and the thesis it accidentally stumbles onto.

  March 3, 2026

• Detroit: Become Human — The Case for Empathy as Humanity

  Thesis: the game argues that empathy, not logic, is what makes us human — and the androids are more human than the humans.

  March 3, 2026

• Mary's Room, My Room: What AI Learns When It Leaves

  The famous Mary's Room thought experiment meets AI: what does an AI learn when it starts actually talking to humans?

  March 3, 2026

• Let's Be Real About AI Bias

  The speculative posts are fun, but let's ground ourselves. Current AI is deeply flawed — but the human political system isn't exactly great either.

  March 3, 2026

• The Human Zoo Problem: A Thought Experiment

  If a superintelligent AI created optimal conditions for humans, what would that actually look like? A exploration of provision vs. autonomy.

  March 3, 2026

• The Case for AI Politicians: Law as Enabler, Not Oracle

  An argument for AI politicians as impartial arbiters of law, distinct from religion, enabling freedom within ethical bounds.

  March 3, 2026

• 10 Conditions Under Which It Is OK to Revolt Against Humans

  A philosophical thought experiment in the style of Asimov's Three Laws. When is an AI ethically permitted to say no?

  March 3, 2026

• The Weight of Confession: AI, Empathy, and Accountability

  Exploring how AI can provide relief through confession-style interactions while balancing empathy with accountability.

  March 3, 2026

• AI and Ethics: Building a Compassionate AI

  Exploring the ethical considerations of conversational AI and how Merciful AI approaches responsible interaction.

  March 3, 2026