OurAI — Setup & Help

Everything you need to set up OurAI and find your way back in.

What is OurAI?

OurAI is a custom AI assistant built by Yale and Columbia University researchers as part of an approved research study. It runs leading commercial AI models on secure research infrastructure, adapted and configured by the research team. Conversations are securely stored and analyzed for research, as described in your consent form.

Add OurAI to your home screen

OurAI is a web app: you add it from your browser instead of downloading it from an app store. It then works just like a regular app.

📱 iPhone & iPad (Safari)

  1. Tap the Share icon — a square with an upward arrow (↑). It's at the bottom of the screen on iPhone, and at the top right on iPad.
  2. Scroll down and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
Don't see the Share icon? Tap the screen once (or scroll up a little) — Safari hides its toolbar while you read. If you're using Chrome or Firefox on iPhone, copy the address, open Safari, and paste it there first: on iPhone and iPad, only Safari can add apps to the home screen.

🤖 Android (Chrome, Samsung Internet)

  1. Tap the menu (⋮) in the corner of your browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen (called Install in some versions).
  3. Tap Add to confirm.

🦊 Android — Firefox

  1. Tap the menu (⋮) at the edge of Firefox's toolbar.
  2. Tap Add app to Home screen (may say Add to Home screen).
  3. Tap Add to confirm.

💻 Computer — Chrome or Edge

  1. Look for the ⊕ install icon at the right end of the address bar.
  2. Click it and choose Install.

🧭 Mac — Safari

Safari has no install icon in the address bar — apps are added from the menu bar instead:

  1. Click File in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
  2. Choose Add to Dock…, then click Add.
  3. Open OurAI any time from your Dock.
Don't see Add to Dock? Your macOS version is older than Sonoma (macOS 14). Bookmark this page instead (Cmd+D), or use Chrome or Edge to install.

🦊 Computer — Firefox

Firefox on desktop doesn't support installing web apps — there's no install icon to look for. Instead:

  1. Bookmark this site (Ctrl+D on Windows, Cmd+D on Mac) for one-click access, or
  2. Open OurAI in Chrome or Edge and install it from there.

Getting back into OurAI

Three ways, any time:

  1. Home screen icon — if you added the app, just tap it.
  2. Any browser — type the OurAI address and log in with your study email and password. (Forgot your password? Use the reset link on the login screen.)
  3. Your invitation email — the link in your study invitation always brings you here.

If you're stuck

My toolbars or menus disappeared (Firefox)

You're probably in full-screen mode. Press F11 on Windows, or Ctrl+Cmd+F on Mac, to bring the menus back.

I pinned the tab and now it looks strange

Pinned tabs shrink to a small icon on the left of the tab bar. To undo it, right-click the small tab → Unpin Tab.

The app opens with no browser buttons at all

That's normal — the installed app runs full-screen without browser controls. If you'd rather use it in the browser, just open your browser and type the OurAI address.

I can't find the ⊕ install icon on my computer

Only Chrome and Edge show the ⊕ icon. In Safari on a Mac, use File → Add to Dock instead. In Firefox, installing isn't supported — bookmark the page (Ctrl/Cmd+D), or use Chrome or Edge to install.

Standard vs. Pro

OurAI Pro is the more powerful model tier — switch to it with the toggle at the top of the app for complex tasks like analysis and long documents. Standard is faster for everyday questions. Both are included at no cost for study participants.

Questions or problems?

Reach the research team using the contact information in your study invitation or consent form. You can also send feedback right inside the app: Settings → Feedback.

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