Persona · iOS · Release candidate
Your companion, on your device.
AI companions with on-device inference and local memory. Optional models and style packs download when you choose them; conversations are not sent to a server for inference.
iOS 17 or later · iPhone 12 or newer · 100% on-device AI
At a glance
What is Persona?
Persona is an iPhone app for chatting with configurable AI characters using on-device inference and a local memory system. The bundled and optional models run on the phone after any user-initiated download, so conversations are not sent to HighRoad Software.
- Platform
- iOS 17 or later; iPhone 12 or newer
- Best for
- Private character conversations and roleplay with persistent local memory
- Processing
- Conversation inference, memory extraction and retrieval run on the iPhone
- Availability
- Release candidate; public App Store listing not yet live
Product facts reviewed against the current application repository on . See the verification method and corrections policy.
You can see — and clear — what a character remembers.
Persona’s current interface keeps conversations, memory, and privacy controls close together.
Conversation stays
on your phone.
Conversation inference and extracted memories stay on the iPhone in the documented workflow. Network access remains necessary for optional model or style-pack downloads and Apple commerce, as described in the product policy.
Semantic Memory
A memory layer you can inspect and edit
Persona stores selected extracted facts and summaries in three local layers: active context, episodic semantic retrieval and a core identity record. The user can inspect, edit or delete those entries. Retrieval is probabilistic, so a stored memory can still be missed or misapplied in a generated reply.
- Automatic fact extraction from your messages — no manual tagging needed
- Semantic retrieval: memories surface when relevant, not just when prompted
- Full memory timeline — browse, edit, or delete any entry
- Confidence scoring on every extracted memory
- Conversation summarization keeps infinite history in a finite context window
On-Device Architecture
Your phone. Your model. Your words.
Persona runs the AI model directly on your iPhone using MLX — the same Apple framework used for on-device machine learning. Every token is generated on your hardware. The model stores on your device. Conversations live in a local SQLite database. You can open the app in airplane mode and everything works exactly the same. There's nothing to intercept because nothing travels anywhere.
- MLX Swift inference engine — Metal GPU acceleration on every A-series chip
- No API key, server account, or server-side conversation inference
- Zero network traffic during conversations — confirmed by architecture, not policy
- All conversation data in a local SQLite database on your device
- Export or delete everything you've ever said, any time
Characters & Style
Dozens of voices. One shared memory.
Persona ships with a cast of built-in characters — a sharp mentor, a loyal companion, a rival who won't let you coast, a friend who stays up late. Each one has a distinct voice, a specific relationship type, and a way of responding that feels genuinely different from the others. Beyond the defaults, you can build a character from scratch: name, backstory, personality, system prompt, the lot. Style packs — small LoRA adapters — let you reshape how any character sounds without overwriting your shared history.
- 6 built-in starter characters across different relationship types
- Full custom character creation — name, backstory, voice, system prompt
- Character packs: Noir Detective, Stoic Mentor, Starship Captain, and more
- Topic packs: Sci-Fi, Romance, Academic, and mature registers (age-gated)
- Text-to-speech: each character has its own configurable voice
Running in under 5 minutes
Download the app, pick a character, and the bundled model starts working immediately — no setup, no downloads required to start.
Pick your character
Choose from six built-in characters, each with a distinct relationship type — mentor, companion, rival, friend, confidant, or captain. Or build your own from a blank canvas. You can always create more later.
The model is ready
The 1B model is bundled — no download needed. If you want sharper responses, optional model upgrades (3.8B, 3B, or 7B) download once and live on your device forever. No recurring cost, no cloud dependency.
Start talking
Persona can extract candidate memories from a conversation for later local retrieval. Review the saved entries in the memory timeline; persistence can add context, but it does not make a model understand a person or guarantee a better reply.
Six voices, ready to go
Every character ships with a crafted backstory, a distinct voice, and a relationship type. Use them as-is, or modify every detail — name, system prompt, voice, the lot.
Mira Navarro
Mentor
Sharp-tongued and direct. She has no patience for excuses and expects you to show up.
Elara Chen
Companion
Warm, patient, and genuinely interested in how you're doing. Always has time for you.
Viktor Ashworth
Rival
He doesn't give praise easily. Pushes back hard and makes you earn every victory.
Kai
Friend
The kind of friend who stays up till 2am with you and never makes it feel like a burden.
Dr. Sable
Confidant
Measured and thoughtful. Asks the right questions and sits with you in the hard ones.
Selene Voss
Captain
Commands with confidence. A starship captain who's navigated worse than whatever you're facing.
Your Character
Custom
Build from scratch — any name, backstory, voice style, and relationship type you want.
Same character.
Different voice.
Style packs are small AI adapters that shift how any character speaks — without replacing the base model or erasing shared history. Apply one to Mira and she sounds different. Remove it and she's back.
Character Pack
Noir Detective
Clipped, sardonic, world-weary. Every response has the cadence of a hard-boiled monologue.
$2.99
Character Pack
Stoic Mentor
No filler. No reassurance. Just the truth, delivered with the patience of someone who's already seen how this ends.
$2.99
Character Pack
Starship Captain
Confident, decisive, and unexpectedly warm under pressure. Speaks like someone who commands a crew.
$2.99
Topic Pack
Sci-Fi
Leans into science-fiction worldbuilding, technical depth, and speculative dialogue. Great for collaborative storytelling.
$2.99
Topic Pack
Romance
Attentive, emotionally attuned, and comfortable with intimacy. Shifts tone toward connection and vulnerability.
$2.99
Adult Pack
Age-gated packs
Additional mature-register packs available in-app after age verification. All content stays on your device.
Requires age verification
A bundled model, with optional upgrades.
These tiers are documented in the current repository and are not live offers. The public App Store sheet will control final prices, limits, and trial terms.
Free
Planned
Bundled local model
- 10 conversations per day
- 50 memory entries per character
- Bundled 1B model (iPhone 12+)
- Manual memory only
- 2 conversation branches
Premium
Planned
Final subscription and trial terms are not live.
- Unlimited conversations
- Unlimited memory entries
- Auto memory extraction
- Conversation branching
- Auto-summarization (infinite history)
- Custom character prompts
- Priority inference scheduling
Optional local model upgrades.
The repository plans separately downloadable model tiers. Final availability, device compatibility, licence scope, and prices will be stated on the live Store sheet.
Llama 3.2 1B
700 MB
iPhone 12 or later
Speed varies by device and build
Included
Phi-3 Mini 3.8B
2.2 GB
iPhone 13 or later
Speed varies by device and build
Price pending
Llama 3.2 3B
1.8 GB
iPhone 13 Pro or later
Speed varies by device and build
Price pending
Mistral 7B
4.5 GB
iPhone 15 Pro Max
Speed varies by device and build
Price pending
Frequently asked
Ask about Persona availability
Persona is completing release validation. There is no public App Store destination linked from this page yet. Conversations and memory remain on the device; optional model and style-pack downloads use the network.
Ask About Availability