I’m a solo founder who rebuilt my social app from the ground up after realizing something obvious: most “social” platforms are optimized for engagement, not real connection. Loneliness is rising, and I wanted to build something that actually helps people meet offline.
PLATO5 is a social engine (not media) with one purpose: moving people from strangers to groupchat to IRL friendships all guided by AI to reduce reluctance and friction.
Here’s how it works:
1. *Matching* Each day, users are matched into private groups of 4, based on the Big Five personality traits, interests, and location. The AI explains the reasoning behind each match.
2. *AI-Coached Groupchat* Once matched, you enter a chat assisted by *Zen*, our embedded AI Chat Manager. Zen suggests personalized topics, balances participation, and can ghostwrite in your tone when things feel awkward. This is all to prevent stalling conversations.
3. *Meetup Coordination* When your group is vibing, the *Nearby* applet helps you find or create virtual/IRL events. Zen also surfaces weekly suggestions tailored to your group’s dynamic.
You’ll need to create an account to access the matching, chat, and event features but it’s live now and fully functional.
I’m not trying to build the next addictive feed. I’m trying to build tech that actually leads to friendship. PLATO5 measures success by real-world outcomes, not ad engagement.
Would love your feedback, ideas, and questions. Thanks in advance for checking it out!