‘Queer Eye’ life coach Karamo Brown launches Kē, a wellness app featuring his AI digital clone

Karamo Brown, famous for his pep talks on Netflix’s “Queer Eye,” has jumped into the wellness and AI space with his new app, Kē. After spending a year and a half focusing on his own journey — from fitness and nutrition to meditation, sobriety, relationships, and personal growth — Brown wants to help others do the same. 

Kē offers a slew of features designed to support users, including personalized fitness plans that cater to users’ existing workout equipment and schedules, as well as nutrition guidance by suggesting meal plans based on the food users have at home. Users have the flexibility to request adjustments to their fitness and meal plans through an AI chatbot, making it easy to customize their experience. Plus, each workout is paired with guided instructional videos to ensure correct form. 

On the mental health front, Kē includes a meditation section with videos targeting various emotions, helping users manage stress and anxiety. There’s also a community section for users to engage in supportive groups focused on shared experiences, such as sobriety or wellness discussions.

But what really sets Kē apart is its “AI Karamo” feature that lets users talk with a digital version of Karamo. They can ask questions and get advice in real time, delivered in his voice. 

Powered by AI startup Delphi, the clone pulls from all sorts of material from Brown — like interviews, podcast episodes, and other clips — to ensure it represents him as authentically as possible. (Arnold Schwarzenegger also has his own digital clone with Delphi.)

“My best friend and sister to this day still talk to the AI clone when they can’t get hold of me,” Brown told TechCrunch. 

Brown’s new app reflects a bigger trend, where more celebrities are getting on board with AI. For example, stars like Matthew McConaughey and Michael Caine have partnered with ElevenLabs to license their voices for digital replicas. 

However, many celebrities are publicly expressing their concerns and taking action against the rise of AI, particularly regarding the unauthorized use of their likenesses and voices in creating digital clones. There has also been a bit of concern about fans forming one-sided emotional attachments to celebrity chatbots. 

Brown emphasizes that Kē isn’t meant to replace real relationships; instead, it’s a tool to aid in personal development and encourage people to reach out for real support when needed.

“If someone is struggling with a sensitive issue, it can direct them toward appropriate resources and remind them to seek support from real people in their lives … At the end of the day, this is meant to be a tool that helps people reflect, learn, and grow, and it’s not a substitute for human connection,” Brown said.

When asked if there’s a limit on the frequency of interactions with his digital clone, Brown replied, “People can talk to it as much as they need. That said, the goal isn’t to keep users talking to the AI indefinitely. It’s designed to help people make progress in their lives.”

He also mentions that there are safeguards in place to keep interactions safe, with a team of humans overseeing the app. (However, users should keep in mind that using the AI feature means they’re sharing their conversation data with Delphi, so it’s smart to avoid disclosing sensitive info.)

He adds, “When AI first started becoming part of the conversation a few years ago, I was honestly pretty skeptical. But the technology has evolved significantly, and what changed my perspective was seeing how thoughtfully companies like Delphi have approached it.”

In the future, Delphi plans to introduce agentic capabilities to Kē to perform tasks on users’ behalf. For instance, if AI Karamo gives you advice on your workout routine, it may one day be able to go into the “My Plan” tab for you and adjust it immediately. 

Kē is now available on iOS and Android devices. The subscription costs $14.99/month after the three-day free trial.