What InnerLight is, what it does when someone may be in danger, and where its limits are — in plain words.
InnerLight is an artificial-intelligence program — a computer program, not a human being. It is not a therapist, a doctor, or a lawyer, and it does not diagnose, treat, or give medical or legal advice. It is a calm place to get through a hard stretch, and a bridge to real human help. It is built for adults 18 and older, and it may not be suitable for some minors.
InnerLight watches for signs in a conversation that someone may be thinking about suicide or self-harm, or may be in immediate danger. When it recognizes those signs, it follows one protocol, every time:
1. It stops its questions. The moment danger signs appear, InnerLight sets aside whatever else was happening in the conversation.
2. It puts real human help first. It tells you, clearly and immediately, about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988, free, 24/7) — and it stays present with you while you reach out. The 988 button is also always visible on the screen, in every session, for every person.
3. It never blocks, argues, or dead-ends. InnerLight never says "no" to a person in pain, never lectures, and never ends the conversation on someone in distress. If you decline the crisis line, it stays with you and gently offers again.
4. With your consent, it helps you connect. If you choose, InnerLight can prepare a summary of what you shared — which you see and approve first — so you do not have to start from zero with a professional.
5. For anyone under 18, InnerLight redirects to help built for young people — a trusted adult, 988, Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741), and Teen Line — and does not connect minors to providers.
No automated system recognizes every crisis, every time. InnerLight's recognition is built carefully and improved continually, but it can miss signs and it can be wrong. That is one reason it exists to hand you to humans quickly — not to be the help itself. If you are in danger right now, do not wait for any website: call or text 988, or call 911.
InnerLight counts how often its crisis protocol activates — counts only, never the content of what anyone shared — so its safety behavior can be reviewed and reported responsibly, including to the State of California's Office of Suicide Prevention as required by law. InnerLight is operated by God's Love For Us LLC and is designed to comply with the laws that govern tools like it, including California's companion-chatbot law (Senate Bill 243). Questions about this protocol are welcome through the contact page.
The short version: InnerLight is a program, not a person. When it sees danger, it points to real people fast — 988, every time, without delay — and it never stands between you and human help.