Unlocking Memories with AI: Exploring the Role of AI-Generated Cues in Personal Reminiscing

While technology-mediated reminiscing has been studied for decades, generating relevant cues to trigger personal reminiscing remains challenging. The potential of AI in generating relevant content across various domains has been recently recognized, yet its use in facilitating reminiscing is still less explored. This work aims to explore the use of AI in supporting the recall of personal memories associated with significant objects at home. We designed Treasurefinder, a device powered by a large language model (LLM) that generates open-ended questions based on stories stored in NFC-tagged physical objects or cards. We conducted an exploratory study with 12 participants, grouped in pairs, to observe reminiscing behaviors when using Treasurefinder. The results showed the AI-generated questions 1) supported individuals to recall the past, 2) provided new insights about the other person, and 3) encouraged reflection. Notably, the device facilitated active memory retrieval related to cherished objects that are often overlooked.