What we know

Jack Dorsey's company Block has introduced an AI model named Dessa, which is trained entirely on human conversation data from scratch. To illustrate how Dessa interacts, Block has shared example chats that reveal its conversational style, described as somewhat awkward and reminiscent of a new friend. Dessa is an AI conversational model developed by Block. The model’s training used only human conversation data. Block released sample dialogues to showcase Dessa’s interaction style.

Why it matters

Block’s move into AI highlights its interest in developing conversational models with a different approach, focusing solely on human dialogue rather than mixed data sources. Dessa’s intentionally awkward style sets it apart from other AI chatbots, potentially offering a more natural or relatable interaction experience. This development signals Block’s broader ambitions beyond its original financial services business.

What is still unknown

Details about Dessa’s accuracy, the range of languages it supports, and when it will be available more widely have not been disclosed. No independent evaluations of its performance or user experience have been reported.