AI Transparency & Ethics Statement

ollie is an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) app that uses AI to help people build boards faster, express themselves more easily, and personalize their communication. This page explains how we use AI, what we do and don’t do with data, and the commitments we make to users and families.

How ollie uses AI to support communication

AI in ollie is used only to enhance communication. It powers features such as:

Vocabulary generation — You describe what you need (e.g., breakfast foods, playground activities, morning routine), and ollie suggests relevant words and symbols so you can build boards in seconds instead of hunting for each button.
Smart word suggestions — Context-aware suggestions based on what’s on the board, time of day, and age-appropriate language to support real-time sentence building and expression.
Custom icon creation — AI-generated images for buttons so boards stay personal, clear, and visually consistent without relying only on stock symbol sets.
Page generation from topics or images — Create new pages from a topic or a photo so vocabulary grows with the user’s life and interests.
Natural voices (premium) — High-quality text-to-speech so the user’s voice sounds natural when they tap to speak.

Core AAC in ollie—boards, tap-to-speak, saved vocabulary—works without any AI. AI features are optional and only run when you choose to use them; they require an internet connection.

How we use AI—and how we don’t

AI in ollie is a tool to enhance communication, not to monitor, track, or profile users. We do not use AI to replace teachers, clinicians, or caregivers. We use it to save time and improve relevance so that communication can stay personal and under the user’s (and family’s) control.

When AI is used:

Processing happens only when you invoke a feature (e.g., generate vocabulary, get word suggestions, create an icon).
Prompts sent to our AI providers are limited to vocabulary, categories, or descriptive context—not personal identity, location, health data, or photos of identifiable people.
We do not use AI to learn from individual user identity or speech history in a way that builds a profile of the person.
Outputs are designed to be age-appropriate and safe for use in homes, schools, and clinics.

We do not use AI (or any data) for behavioral advertising, cross-app tracking, or selling data to third parties. ollie contains no advertising.

Your control over data and AI

Users and families keep control over how AI is used and whether their usage helps improve ollie for others:

You choose when to use AI. Core communication does not depend on AI. You can turn off or simply not use AI features and still use ollie fully.
You control communication content. What goes on boards and what is spoken stays in your hands; AI only suggests and generates when you ask it to.
Model improvement is optional. In app settings, you can turn off sharing de-identified vocabulary data used to improve our models. Turning this off does not reduce core or AI feature functionality for you.

For full details on what we collect, how we store it, and how we work with partners (e.g., Apple, AI providers), see our Privacy Policy.

What we believe AAC users deserve

We believe people who use AAC—and their families, schools, and clinicians—deserve:

Transparency — Clear explanation of how AI is used, what data is involved, and how you can control it. No hidden profiling or secondary use of communication data.
Safety — Age-appropriate content, secure and encrypted handling of data, and AI practices that support—not undermine—trust in the app and in communication.
Dignity — Technology that respects the user’s voice and choices. AI as an aid to expression, not a replacement for human connection or professional care.
Control — You decide when to use AI, what to generate, and whether to participate in model improvement. Your communication, your rules.

We are committed to updating our practices as technology and regulation evolve, and to doing AI right in AAC. If you have questions or concerns about AI or privacy in ollie, contact us at erik.miller@underdoginnovationinc.com.