Meet Ode, the AI-powered poetry app that’s prescribing verse to lift your mood – courtesy of the inimitable Stephen Fry.
Launched by Jackie Wills, founder of The Poetry Pharmacy, Ode is the latest development in a growing trend of using AI for positive effects on mental health.
Prescribing Poetry
The idea is simple: tap into Ode’s AI-powered verse generator and receive a bespoke poem to lift your spirits. Wills, a poet and writer herself, was inspired to create Ode after witnessing firsthand the impact of poetry on mental wellbeing. ‘I’ve seen, time and again, how poetry can be a balm for the soul,’ she says.
Ode’s AI engine, trained on a massive dataset of poetry from around the world, can generate poems on a wide range of topics – from love and loss to hope and resilience. And, thanks to collaboration with Fry, Ode’s library now includes a selection of the comedian’s own poems, each infused with his unique wit and humor.
AI and Mental Health
Ode is part of a growing movement to harness the power of AI for positive effects on mental health. By generating personalized poetry, Ode provides a unique and accessible way to engage with this form of therapy.
So what does this mean for you? For one, it means that AI can be a powerful tool for promoting mental wellbeing – and that poetry can be a powerful balm for even the darkest of times. Whether you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or simply need a pick-me-up, Ode is there to offer a dose of poetic prescription.
What’s Next for Ode?
The future of Ode looks bright, with Wills planning to expand the app’s capabilities to include music and other forms of creative content. For now, though, the focus is on spreading the word – and helping as many people as possible to experience the transformative power of poetry.
