New Vancouver-based AI platform schedules social events so you don’t have to

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Analog AI aims to put an end to nightmarish group chats

Getting together with friends is supposed to be fun—but when one friend works 12-hour shifts, one has three kids who play eight sports and one is ghosting you on the group thread, going out for a casual beer is basically impossible. For humans, at least. 

“I wanted to help people connect more often,” explains Alexander Labrie, CEO of Vancouver-based Analog. “We often get lost in out digital interactions, and my belief is that the best way to build meaningful relationships is in-person interaction.” 

It’s one thing to believe that, but the actual execution of that in-person interaction is far more difficult. That’s where the AI comes in. Analog’s AI platform is all about automated event scheduling. It’s like a calendar with a personal assistant incorporated: a tech solution that recommends you hang out with your friends on a date and time that you’re all free. 

That said, Analog’s notifications are more specific than that: it’s not just “hang out with Taylor and Lana, you’re all free on Thursday at 6:00 p.m.” The platform suggests specific activities for you to do based on your interests—for example, “do karaoke at [insert downtown bar name] with Taylor and Lana at 6:00 p.m.” 

A few sample (beachy) events from Analog.

“The system determines the best times and places for people to meet,” explains Labrie. “The events are automatically generated, and we send notifications through SMS text messages.” Once you sign up for Analog, you’re prompted to input both your availability and your interests, so the platform will suggest things you like with people you like at times you’re both available. 

There’s opportunity for local businesses to get involved, too. Restaurants, pubs, concert venues, recreation hubs, sports facilities and more can sign up to be a part of Analog’s database (the platform charges $1 per person who actually commits to the activity through the app). 

A snapshot of Analog’s online platform.

Right now, the platform is still in its beginning stages, with the launch starting on UBC Vancouver campus and spreading outward. “Things can easily and quickly spread through college campuses, and that’s why we decided to start there,” says Labrie. 

To learn more about Analog or sign up your business, go to analog.com.ai. It’s an invite-only platform for now, but Vancouverites can bypass the invite stage by visiting analog.com.ai/vancouver.