What makes an AI companion worth coming back to?

I’m launching MVP.ai on Product Hunt tomorrow, and the thing I care most about isn’t whether people think the idea sounds cool.

I want to know what actually makes someone return.

MVP.ai is built around personality, bonding, progression, and a more character-driven AI experience.

The question I’m trying to answer now is whether those things genuinely change the way people interact with AI, or whether they just sound good on paper.

If you’ve used AI companions before, what made you stay?

• Personality?

• Memory?

• Progression?

• Visual identity?

• Something else entirely?

I’m especially interested in hearing what made you stop using one too.