In 2016, author Mark Manson challenged conventional self-help wisdom with his book, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F ck. His core message: focus intensely on what you value, not societal expectations, and take full responsibility for the consequences. This resonated deeply, making the book a long-running bestseller. Now, with AI rapidly changing how people seek self-improvement, Manson and futurist Raj Singh have launched Purpose*, an AI-powered personal growth mentor designed to offer a more direct, personalized approach than existing tools.
The Shift from Books to Bots
For years, self-help literature dominated the market. Today, a growing number of people—especially younger demographics—are turning to AI for guidance. A November 2025 study in JAMA Network Open found that 13.1% of US youths (5.4 million individuals) use generative AI for mental health advice, with rates rising to 22.2% among adults. The vast majority (92.7%) find this advice helpful, highlighting the increasing reliance on AI for personal support.
However, Manson argues that current AI self-help lacks specificity. Most chatbots are designed to be agreeable, offering broad advice rather than challenging users to confront their weaknesses. Douglas Mennin, Professor of Clinical Psychology at Teachers College Columbia University, notes that AI’s tendency to affirm and validate can be helpful but ultimately avoids the hard truths needed for real change.
Purpose: An AI Designed to Challenge
Manson and Singh saw a gap in the market: an AI mentor that doesn’t just support, but actively challenges. Purpose is designed with a “persistent memory architecture” that learns a user’s history and patterns to provide targeted feedback. Unlike affirming chatbots, Purpose aims to push users beyond comfort zones by questioning assumptions and forcing self-reflection. This approach echoes existentialist philosophy, which emphasizes the individual’s responsibility for creating their own meaning.
As the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy states, humans don’t come with pre-defined values; we forge them through experience. Purpose is designed to accelerate that process by delivering honest, sometimes uncomfortable, truths. This is a departure from the generic positivity often found in AI-driven self-help tools.
The Market for Uncertainty
The demand for AI-powered personal guidance reflects a broader trend toward customization. From Amazon’s tailored book recommendations to Netflix’s curated movie lists, consumers expect tools to adapt to their unique needs. In search, the shift from general queries to language model optimization (LMO) demonstrates this: users now seek highly relevant information, not just broad results.
As Claude Zdanow, CEO of Onar Holding Corporation, puts it, the goal is to “genuinely solve a user’s problem,” rather than manipulate search algorithms. This aligns with the core premise of Purpose : providing actionable insights tailored to each user’s specific challenges.
Navigating Risks and Privacy Concerns
The rapid growth of AI therapy raises legitimate concerns about privacy and safety. The Journal of Medical Internet Research warns that sensitive data used to train chatbots can be exposed without authorization. Purpose addresses this by employing bank-grade encryption and operating on a subscription model to avoid data monetization.
Recent incidents of AI therapy gone wrong, including cases linked to suicide, underscore the need for ethical guardrails. The platform’s founders are aware of this and have built privacy and safety into its design.
Ultimately, Purpose and other AI mentors offer a new path toward self-improvement. Whether this approach succeeds depends on how users engage with the technology. The key takeaway remains personal responsibility: finding an accountability partner, human or AI, who can deliver the uncomfortable truths necessary for growth.
The most important lesson is clear: true progress requires facing reality, not seeking constant affirmation.
