The Innovative Aussie Start-up Using AI to Understand Your Emotions

Nicole Gibson has a remarkable background as Australia’s youngest-ever Commonwealth mental health commissioner, overseeing a budget of $27 billion. Now, she is venturing into the world of artificial intelligence by founding a start-up that she claims is a groundbreaking initiative.

“We’re the first company in the world to be able to track emotions through consumer-grade wearables with clinical-grade accuracy,” Gibson asserts.

InTruth, her new venture, has successfully raised $9.5 million and is gearing up for a public launch next year. The company utilizes wearable technology—similar to a wristband like a FitBit—to monitor a user’s emotions in real time and provide suggestions on how to address them.

At the recent SXSW event in Sydney, InTruth was one of the most talked-about start-ups. Gibson received significant interest for her pitch, presenting a health tech company focused on passively tracking emotional patterns, translating those into AI-generated insights about everyday stressors and behaviors.

Gibson believes that many people struggle with managing their emotions, but that AI can offer valuable support.

She envisions various applications for InTruth. For instance, a supervisor in a police force could analyze her team’s emotional data to foresee issues like PTSD, while an office manager might assess their team's energy and performance. On a personal level, an individual could use InTruth to understand when a rift with a close friend occurred and why.

“No one’s ever done this before at scale,” she explains. “We extract raw data from the wearables and have devised a machine-learning model that converts that data into identifiable emotions, which are then communicated back to the user. Our goal is to create the most precise emotion detector globally, capturing emotional data from millions of people, which holds tremendous potential.”

According to Gibson, despite the rapid expansion of the wearable tech market over the last five years, a lack of in-depth emotional data persists.

“Emotion influences 80 percent of decision-making. While you may realize you're not sleeping well or exercising effectively, it's challenging to make changes without understanding the underlying reasons,” she points out.

“You might inquire, ‘Are you okay?’ to a friend, but what if they respond, ‘Actually, I’m suicidal’? How prepared are you to handle that conversation? We believe InTruth can serve as an AI-powered emotional coach that comprehensively understands your feelings and the reasons behind them.”

Gibson is also the founder of Love Out Loud, a global not-for-profit organization, and has spent considerable time addressing mental health challenges. Having begun her journey with a previous mental health not-for-profit following her encounter with an eating disorder, Gibson developed a framework she calls “emotional infrastructure,” focusing on helping communities deal with conflict and build emotional resilience.

Her impactful work led to her appointment as a National Mental Health Commissioner, making her the youngest individual to hold such a position.

“During my tenure with the commission, I noted numerous unmet needs,” she recalls. “Although we now have a commercial tech product, I believe our mission is much larger.”

“Achieving peace with our emotions can lead to a more harmonious world,” she emphasizes.

InTruth has garnered $9.5 million through a non-dilutive grant from the UK-based impact fund Conscious Capital, and Gibson is now contemplating seeking additional venture-capital funding ahead of the launch of their consumer product next year.

However, AI start-ups often face scrutiny, particularly regarding the handling of sensitive health data. As a result, InTruth must establish its credibility and build trust among potential users. Privacy advocates have previously criticized other local start-ups, emphasizing the importance of ethical practices in managing user data.

For Gibson, data ownership is a priority. She is determined that users retain control over their information, rather than allowing it to be held by doctors or third parties. Furthermore, she expresses confidence when it comes to competition from larger tech companies.

“One of the most common questions I receive, to the extent that I find it tiring, is why giants like Whoop, Fitbit, or Aura have not made similar advancements if this is such a significant opportunity,” she says.

“As established companies, it’s often difficult for them to remain as adaptable and nimble as a start-up can be.”

“Our focus is solely on emotions. We do not aspire to be the leading sleep tracker or fitness tracker. We aim to excel at tracking emotions. It’s akin to opening a gourmet restaurant while fearing that McDonald's will start offering gourmet options.”

AI, start-up, emotions