Work  /  Katha
Cross-Language AI

Katha

An AI app for cross-language chatting that removes the miscommunication slipping through literal translation — so two people speaking different languages actually understand each other.

Katha — hero / cover shot
Approach
AI-native
Surface
Messaging
Status
Live

Overview

Literal translation moves words, not meaning. Katha is built around the gap in between — reading context, tone, and intent so a conversation across languages actually lands.

The challenge

Perfectly translated sentences still cause misunderstanding when idiom, tone, and intent are lost. The product had to target understanding, not fluency.

The approach

Designed AI-native from day one — the model, the context window, and the failure handling are the product, not a feature bolted onto a chat app.

The outcome

A messaging experience where two people speaking different languages walk away having understood each other, not just exchanged words.

“Translation isn't understanding.”

Katha is our clearest example of AI-native design: remove the model and there is no product left, because understanding across languages is the product.

Next
All work
→