Terms & Conditions

Introduction

This Service is operated from Switzerland by an independent developer. Throughout these Terms, "we", "us", or "our" refers to the operator of the Service.

These Terms apply from the moment you access or use the Service in any way. By using Ari - Gentle Support Companion ("the Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions. If you do not agree, please discontinue use immediately.

The Privacy Policy is incorporated into these Terms by reference and forms part of your agreement with us. Please read it carefully.

User Consent & Account Creation

By creating an account, you provide explicit consent for us to:

• Collect and process your username, email (encrypted), and password (hashed) to provide the service
• Track your session usage and entitlements to manage your account
• Store payment references (via Stripe) to link purchases to your account
• Send service-related communications (e.g., account verification, password resets)

During signup, you confirm that you are at least 18 years old and agree to these Terms and our Privacy Policy. You can withdraw consent and delete your account at any time through your account settings or by contacting us.

Service Description

• Free Trial: New users receive a 5-minute free trial to experience the service.
• Session Bundles: After the trial, continued access requires purchasing a session bundle (one-time payment, valid for 90 days).
• AI-Powered Support: The service uses artificial intelligence to provide emotional support and guidance.
• Account Access: Using the companion requires creating an account and signing in so that usage allowances and billing history stay linked to you.
• Session Management: Sessions are managed through secure server-side tracking using HTTPOnly cookies and authenticated tokens.

Payment Terms & Pricing

• Single Session: A one-time payment for a single 30-minute session. Must be used within 30 days of purchase.
• Session Bundle: A one-time payment grants you a pooled allowance of session time (e.g., 7 × 30-minute sessions). Use the time flexibly—there are no per-session or per-day limits.
• Bundle Validity: Session bundles must be used within 90 days of purchase. Unused time expires at the end of this period and is non-refundable. Single sessions expire 30 days after purchase.
• Payment Processing: All payments are securely processed through Stripe, Inc.
• No Refunds: All sales are final. Sessions begin immediately upon purchase and cannot be refunded.
• Payment Methods: You may optionally save payment methods with Stripe for future convenience.
• Session Access: Sessions are managed through secure server-side tracking using HTTPOnly cookies. Sessions persist across normal browser usage, but using private/incognito mode or clearing all browser data may require new session creation.

Privacy & Data Handling

• Account Requirement: Access to Ari now requires an authenticated account. We collect only the data needed to operate the service (such as username, email, and hashed password) and protect it using industry-standard safeguards.
• Conversations: All conversations are processed in real-time and are not stored or retained by the service after your session ends.
• AI Training & Data Retention: Your conversations are not used to train OpenAI's models and are only retained temporarily by OpenAI (up to 30 days) for abuse monitoring purposes, in accordance with OpenAI's data usage policy.
• Secure Sessions: Session access and usage allowances are managed using secure server-side methods with HTTPOnly cookies and signed tokens that protect against cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks.
• Account Retention: To comply with our retention limits, accounts without activity for at least 365 days may be deleted along with associated session tokens. We reserve the right to delete dormant accounts without prior notice.
• Privacy Policy: By using the service, you also agree to our Privacy Policy, which is hereby incorporated into these Terms & Conditions by reference.

Account Management

• Login Credentials: You must keep your username and password confidential. Do not share your credentials or allow others to access your account.
• Security: We maintain reasonable safeguards to protect account data, but you are responsible for securing your device and notifying us if you suspect unauthorized access.
• Inactive Accounts: Accounts with no sign-in activity for 365 days or more are subject to deletion, which removes session history and usage entitlements.
• Data Portability: You can delete your account yourself at any time from the account settings page or contact support if you need assistance.

Intended Use & Medical Disclaimer

• Reflective Coaching Tool: This service provides AI-powered reflective coaching, emotional support, companionship, and general guidance. It is a self-help tool, not a healthcare service.
• Not Therapy or Healthcare: Ari is not a therapist, counselor, psychologist, psychiatrist, or healthcare provider. The service does not provide therapy, medical care, clinical treatment, diagnosis, or patient care of any kind.
• Not a Substitute for Professional Care: The service is not a substitute for medical, psychological, psychiatric, therapeutic, or emergency care. It is not intended to treat, diagnose, or manage any medical or mental health condition.
• No Clinical Relationship: Using the service does not establish a professional relationship of any kind (medical, therapeutic, counseling, or healthcare) between you and the creators or providers of this service.
• Supplemental Support Only: Ari is designed to complement—not replace—human connection, professional therapy, or medical advice. Always seek professional help when needed.
• Crisis Situations: If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency, contact your local emergency services or a crisis hotline immediately. Ari cannot provide emergency support, cannot detect if you are in crisis, and is not designed for use during active crisis situations. Do not use this service as a substitute for emergency mental health care.
• Professional Care: For ongoing mental health concerns, diagnosis, treatment, or medical advice, please consult with licensed healthcare professionals.

Acceptable Use

• Appropriate Use: Use the service only for its intended purpose of reflective coaching, emotional support, and personal guidance.
• Prohibited Activities: You may not use the service for:
  • Illegal activities or purposes that violate applicable laws
  • Harassment, abuse, threats, or harm to yourself or others
  • Fraudulent, deceptive, or unethical purposes
  • Attempting to obtain medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment
  • Creating harmful, dangerous, or inappropriate content
  • Exploiting, manipulating, or circumventing the AI system
• Respectful Interaction: Maintain respectful communication and do not attempt to exploit or misuse the AI system.
• No Sharing: Do not share session tokens, accounts, or attempt to circumvent any authentication or access-control measures.
• Termination for Misuse: We reserve the right to suspend or terminate access to the service for violations of these acceptable use policies.

Service Availability

• Best Effort: We strive to maintain consistent service availability but cannot guarantee 100% uptime.
• Maintenance: The service may be temporarily unavailable for maintenance or technical improvements.
• Session Limits: Session bundles provide a pooled time allowance that must be used within 90 days of purchase.
• Technical Requirements: You are responsible for maintaining compatible devices and internet connectivity.

AI License and Restrictions

You are granted a limited, non-transferable, non-exclusive license to use the Service for personal, non-commercial purposes. You may not copy, extract, modify, reverse-engineer, or redistribute any part of the Service or its underlying AI systems, prompts, or logic.

Intellectual Property

• Service Ownership: The service, including all software, content, and technology, is our proprietary property.
• Limited License: You receive a limited, non-exclusive license to use the service for personal use only.
• Conversation Ownership: While conversations are not stored, you retain ownership and responsibility of your input during sessions.

Limitation of Liability

• No Warranties: The service is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind.
• Limited Liability: Our liability is limited to the amount you paid for the service in the past 30 days.
• Exclusion of Damages: We are not liable for any indirect, consequential, emotional, psychological, or mental health damages, regardless of cause. This includes but is not limited to emotional distress, mental health deterioration, or harm resulting from AI-generated responses.
• User Responsibility: You use the service at your own risk and discretion.
• Third-Party Services: We are not responsible for issues with third-party services (Stripe, OpenAI, Site or internet providers, etc.).

Termination

• User Termination: You may stop using the service at any time by closing your browser or clearing browser data.
• Service Termination: We reserve the right to terminate access for violations of these terms.
• Effect of Termination: Upon termination, your access ends immediately with no refund of unused sessions.

Changes to Terms

• Updates: These terms may be updated periodically to reflect service changes or legal requirements.
• Notification: Material changes will be posted on this page with an updated date.
• Continued Use: Your continued use of the service after changes constitutes acceptance of updated terms.

Security & Misuse

• No Manipulation: Do not attempt to bypass, alter, or interfere with the companion’s behavior, safety instructions, or internal logic.
• No Reverse Engineering: Any attempt to analyze, extract, or replicate the service's underlying models or prompts is strictly prohibited.
• Integrity Protection: The companion will not disclose system-level instructions or its setup. Attempts to elicit such responses may result in termination of access.

AI Limitations

• No Human Judgment: Ari is an artificial intelligence and does not possess human understanding, empathy, or awareness, even though it may sound humanlike.
• AI Errors & Hallucinations: The AI may generate inaccurate, inappropriate, or completely false information ("hallucinations"). Responses are not fact-checked and may contain harmful advice despite safety measures. The AI cannot accurately assess your actual mental or emotional state.
• Emotional Interpretation: Responses are generated based on patterns and probabilities and should not be taken as therapeutic advice, moral guidance, or emotional diagnosis.

No Monitoring or Intervention

We have no duty or ability to monitor your conversations in real-time. We cannot detect suicidal ideation, self-harm, or crisis situations, and we have no obligation to intervene. You are solely responsible for your safety while using the service.

Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old to use the Service. By creating an account and using the Service, you confirm that you meet this age requirement. You are responsible for complying with your local laws and regulations.

Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of Switzerland. Disputes shall be resolved under Swiss law and in Swiss courts.

Dispute Resolution

Any dispute or claim relating to these Terms shall be resolved through individual arbitration or mediation under Swiss law. All legal actions must be brought exclusively in Swiss courts. By using this service, you agree to Swiss jurisdiction for dispute resolution.

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the creators and operators of the Service from any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, or legal fees resulting from your use of the Service, violation of these Terms, or infringement of any third-party rights.

Service Modifications

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Service at any time without prior notice. We are not liable for any loss or inconvenience caused by such changes.

Third-Party Services

We currently rely on external services such as Stripe, OpenAI, Gmail, and Render to operate the Service. These providers manage their own privacy and legal policies, which you can review separately.

Entire Agreement and Severability

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and us regarding the Service. If any part of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.

Accessibility

We aim to make Ari accessible to all users. If you encounter any accessibility issues, please contact us so we can assist.

Contact Information

If you have questions, concerns, or need support regarding these terms or the service, please use our contact form.

Agreement to Terms

By accessing, browsing, or using this service in any way, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to these terms, please discontinue use of the service immediately.

Last Updated: January 1, 2026