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16th May 2023 · The Clay Team

Introducing Nexus

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Augmenting thoughtfulness with AI

Any new technology feels almost like magic when it is first introduced – exciting, but potentially disquieting. But as we acclimate to the new technology, we learn how to use it safely and effectively, at which point it becomes helpful, familiar and unremarkable. Cars, computers, medicine, and many other modern technologies were initially met with unease. Today, Artificial Intelligence sparks similar anxieties.

Almost immediately, our mind takes us to worst case scenarios. But, what if we focused our efforts and imagination on consciously building AI that helped augment and deepen human relationships?

New technologies add capabilities and efficiencies, but they also limit or remove your ability to do something. Andy Crouch calls this the Innovation Bargain. Let’s think, for example, of the invention of the typewriter. We gained speed and efficiency, making it easier to spread our words and ideas, but lost an aspect of the art of handwriting. Kids in today’s elementary schools look at cursive as a foreign language to be deciphered, and even our pens have lost the charm of quill and ink in favor of speed and cleanliness.

At Clay, we’ve considered the Innovation Bargain of AI carefully, investigating how we can use this new tool to build deeper relationships without sacrificing the human touch. We’ve talked with our customers, team, advisors and friends to craft an effortful, thoughtful strategy.

Today, we’re excited to release a technical preview of Nexus — the world’s first AI navigator for your entire network. Nexus is built on top of your Clay account, with knowledge and context of all your relationships. Rather than being a replacement for thoughtfulness, let Nexus be your brainstorm partner and assistant.

A few ways Nexus can help you be a better friend or colleague:

  • What gift should I get my friend, Jess?
  • Can you help me craft a congratulatory email to Remy for getting accepted into her nursing school program?
  • I'm heading to the UK - who should I visit there?
  • Summarize Peter's background before I meet with them

… Or a better networker:

  • Who do I know in Miami who might want to come to a real estate conference with me this weekend?
  • What non-profits in my network can I donate my time to?
  • Do I know anyone at Apple?

…or just more efficient:

  • I’d like to take some friends out to dinner tonight in Austin, can you give me a recommendation within 2 miles of The South Congress Hotel that have vegan options and entrees under $20?

We think that Nexus strikes the right balance with the Innovation Bargain. We’ve taken the frustrating or overlooked elements out of building better relationships, and we’ve left the most critical, most human parts: human effort and interaction. And most exciting of all, it’s available today as a technical preview for all Clay members.

But Nexus is just the beginning — we believe that in this next wave of AI progress and development, Clay will serve as the people, contacts, and relationship layer that personalizes all your LLM interactions. Nexus is just the first of many AI features and products we'll be releasing in the coming weeks.

At our core, Clay’s mission is to help people be more thoughtful with others. From day one, Clay was designed to remove some of the manual friction and busy work of being a better friend, networker, and person. Since launching, we’ve introduced features that support this evolution, like Reconnect, Reminders, and Advanced Search, and we find ourselves at the base of another mountain of opportunity as we question how Clay can use AI to further improve the member experience and the relationships they maintain.

Clay strives to improve human connection by creating meaningful interactions that might not happen otherwise, but is never intended to be a replacement for interaction. Our members have shared numerous examples of how Clay has improved their thoughtfulness – from big things, like reconnecting with an old friend, or landing a dream job, to small things, like remembering a friend’s birthday or someone’s partner’s name.

The constantly evolving technology landscape reminds us to stay true to our mission of cultivating meaningful personal and professional relationships for our members. As the world changes and new technology is introduced, how can we use it as a tool to foster thoughtfulness and connection? Instead of resisting the movement towards AI, how can we work with it to improve our lives and the lives of those around us? We all deserve better technology, and Nexus is just the beginning. Learn more or get started at clay.nexus.

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