Icebreakers

Supporting Weak-Tie Formation for International Students with Generative Agents

Icebreakers is a co-pilot system designed to help international students participate more comfortably in newly formed groups. Entering a new social setting often involves navigating silence, uncertainty, and the fear of making a social or linguistic mistake. To ease this transition, the system introduces two generative agents that work together. A shared facilitator guides the group with culturally aware prompts that deepen conversation at a steady pace. A personal companion provides private support by helping users interpret messages, check phrasing, and understand cultural cues. Rather than speaking for anyone, these agents are intended to act as co-pilots that make it feel safer and more manageable for students to speak for themselves.

Role: Initiator + Concept + Agent Architecture