If you’ve never used an AI conflict resolution app before, the concept can sound abstract. Two people in conflict, a phone between them and an AI that somehow helps them resolve it. How does that actually work?

This guide walks through the FairTalk process step by step, from opening the app to leaving with a resolution plan. Understanding the structure in advance helps both people enter the session with realistic expectations and get more out of it.

The problem FairTalk is designed to solve

Most interpersonal disputes don’t require a lawyer or a therapist. They require a structured process and a neutral framework that neither person can easily derail when emotions run high.

The difficulty with trying to resolve conflict without any structure is that both people bring their own version of events, their own emotional state and their own communication habits into the same conversation simultaneously. Without a neutral framework, the conversation defaults to whoever is louder, more persistent, or better at argument, not necessarily to the most fair or accurate outcome.

FairTalk’s AI provides the structure that most people lack. It draws on evidence-based conflict resolution frameworks, including principles from the Gottman Institute’s couples research, nonviolent communication (NVC) and interest-based negotiation, and applies them to the specific conversation taking place.

According to research from the SSRN published in 2025, AI-facilitated structured mediation frameworks have shown a 23% higher resolution rate in interpersonal disputes compared to unstructured self-mediated attempts. The structure is the intervention.

Before any recording starts, FairTalk requires explicit in-app consent from both participants. This is not a formality. It is a foundational design choice.

Both people confirming consent signals to each other that they have chosen to engage in a structured process rather than a continuation of the argument. Research on dispute resolution consistently shows that voluntary, explicit participation is strongly correlated with agreement quality and durability. Agreements reached under pressure or confusion don’t hold.

Once both people have consented, the session begins. The consent is logged, the recording starts and FairTalk’s AI becomes active.

Step 2: Name the topic and set the context

The app prompts for a topic for the session. This sounds simple but is important: one of the most common reasons disputes remain unresolved is that the two people are not actually discussing the same issue.

Partner A may believe they are having a conversation about household responsibilities. Partner B may believe the conversation is actually about feeling respected. Without naming and agreeing on the topic, the conversation runs on parallel tracks.

FairTalk’s prompt, “What are we here to resolve today?”, forces a moment of shared framing before the discussion begins. This single step significantly reduces the chance of the session becoming a catch-all argument about everything that has accumulated.

Step 3: Each person shares their perspective

This is the feature that most distinguishes FairTalk from an unstructured conversation.

Each person talks honestly about how they are feeling and their wants, knowing that AI is impartial. The impartial nature of the AI matters because research on perspective-sharing shows that people are significantly more honest when they feel free of judgement and they trust those involved. By comparison, when discussing delicate matters with a mediator, counsellor or psychologist quite often this may be the first time a person or couple has met these individuals and trust is built over time with experience.

Step 4: The AI identifies shared ground and key differences

Once both perspectives have been captured, FairTalk’s AI produces a structured summary that identifies:

  • What each person said their experience was
  • Where the two accounts overlap or align
  • Where the accounts differ or conflict
  • What each person said they need for a resolution

This summary is shown to both people simultaneously. It is not an editorial. It does not assign blame or declare one account more credible than the other. It is a factual mapping of where the two people are.

Seeing the summary often shifts the emotional register of the conversation. Conflict that felt personal and unresolvable becomes a problem with a structure, which is a different and more solvable thing.

Step 5: The conversation with AI support

With the summary as a shared reference point, both people enter a joint discussion. The AI’s role at this stage is to:

  • Ensure each person speaks and is heard before the other responds
  • Flag escalation patterns if the conversation becomes counterproductive
  • Reframe adversarial language where possible
  • Introduce structured techniques such as I-statements or interest-based questioning when the conversation needs direction

If the conversation reaches a point of escalation where productive dialogue has stopped, FairTalk’s pause protocol can be activated. This mirrors the evidence-based recommendation from Gottman’s research that a minimum 20-minute break is physiologically necessary when emotional flooding occurs.

For more on why this matters, see our article on how to stop fighting with your partner.

Step 6: The resolution plan

The session concludes with a resolution plan generated collaboratively. Each person selects from a set of AI-suggested actions the specific commitments they are prepared to make. These become the documented resolution.

The plan is not legally binding. It is a shared record of what both people agreed to, visible to both parties in the app. Research on written commitment and accountability shows that people are substantially more likely to follow through on commitments they have explicitly articulated and documented than on verbal agreements made in the moment.

Both people leave the session with the same document: what was discussed, what was agreed, and what each person has committed to do differently.

Step 7: Follow-up and tracking

After the session, FairTalk allows both parties to track their committed actions. Nudge reminders are available through push notification or email, set by the user at whatever frequency is useful.

This follow-through layer matters because research on behaviour change consistently shows that the gap between intention and action is wide and predictable. Having a documented commitment with a visible status reduces that gap.

What FairTalk is not

FairTalk is not a replacement for professional help in situations that require it. If there is emotional abuse, coercion or a significant power imbalance in the relationship, AI mediation is not appropriate. These situations require human professionals and, in some cases, specialist support services.

FairTalk is also not a therapy tool. It does not treat mental health conditions, provide ongoing emotional support, or replicate the therapeutic relationship. For deeper relational difficulties or mental health factors contributing to conflict, a qualified therapist is the right resource.

For an honest comparison of when AI tools are appropriate versus when professional therapy is better suited, see AI relationship coach vs couples therapy.

The cost comparison

A single session with a private mediator in Australia costs between $250 and $500 per hour. A couples therapy session typically costs between $150 and $300. FairTalk’s subscription is per month with unlimited sessions.

The cost difference matters not just because of the saving, but because of what the saving enables: resolution at the moment of conflict rather than three weeks later when an appointment becomes available. Conflict that compounds over time is more expensive, emotionally and practically, than conflict addressed early.

For a broader look at the real cost of leaving disputes unresolved, see our article on the cost of unresolved conflict.

Frequently asked questions

Does FairTalk work if only one person wants to use it?

Both people need to consent and participate for the joint session to work. FairTalk does allow one person to invite another via email or in-app. If your partner is reluctant, it is worth explaining what the process involves: it is not about winning or being judged, it is a structured conversation with the same rules for both people. That framing is often enough to get buy-in from a sceptical partner.

What happens to the recording after the session?

Audio is deleted from FairTalk’s servers immediately after transcription is complete. The transcript and resolution plan are retained in the app, visible only to the two participants. Users can delete their session data at any time within the application.

Can FairTalk be used for disputes outside of romantic relationships?

Yes. FairTalk’s structured session approach is applicable to family disputes, workplace conflicts and friendship breakdowns. The prompts are calibrated to the relationship type you select at the start of the session.

What if one person won’t accept the resolution plan?

Resolution is not something the AI imposes. It emerges from what both people have said they need and what they have chosen to commit to. If one person feels the plan does not reflect a fair resolution, the session can continue at another agreed upon time. If agreement cannot be reached, FairTalk can help identify the specific point of difference and suggest a process for returning to it.