Frequently Asked Questions

Nyata AI is Bristol's community AI companion – a friendly chatbot designed to help local residents find free meals, support services, community events, and other resources. Built by a UWE Bristol graduate who works at the Salvation Army, Nyata understands the real challenges Bristol residents face and provides practical, helpful information.

Yes! The core Nyata AI app is completely free to download and use. Our mission is to help Bristol residents access community support, so we've kept the essential features free for everyone. Premium features may be available in the future, but finding free meals, services, and events will always be free.

Nyata AI was created by Ibrahim Maina, a UWE Bristol graduate with a degree in Information Technology Management for Business. While working part-time at the Salvation Army, Ibrahim saw how many people struggle to find the support services available to them. This inspired him to build Nyata AI – making finding help as easy as chatting with a friend.

"Nyata" comes from a word meaning "real" or "genuine" in several languages. We chose this name because Nyata AI provides real, practical help for real community needs – not generic advice, but specific, local information that actually helps Bristol residents.

Currently, yes. Nyata AI is specifically designed for Bristol, with detailed knowledge of local food banks, support services, community centres, and events. We're focused on doing one city really well before expanding. Future plans include rolling out to other UK cities like Manchester and Birmingham.

Nyata can help you find:

• Free meals – Food banks, community kitchens, soup kitchens
• Hot showers – Locations offering shower facilities
• Support services – Housing help, mental health support, job centres
• Community events – Free activities, workshops, social gatherings
• Healthcare – NHS services, pharmacies, urgent care
• Benefits advice – Where to get help with benefits applications

Yes! Nyata AI supports voice input, so you can speak your questions instead of typing. This is especially useful when you're on the go. The app also has text-to-speech features so Nyata can read responses aloud to you.

Yes! One of Nyata's unique features is the ability to chat in authentic Bristolian dialect. You can choose from different AI personalities in the app settings. It's a fun way to make the experience feel more local and friendly – proper Bristol, like!

We work hard to keep Nyata's knowledge base current. Information about food banks, services, and events is regularly updated. Nyata also integrates with live data sources where possible, including weather information and event listings. If you notice outdated information, please let us know!

Yes. Your data is protected with industry-standard security. Nyata AI is registered with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) under registration number ZC042900.

We comply with GDPR and UK Data Protection laws. We do not sell your data to anyone.

We collect only what is needed to run the app:

• Chat messages (so Nyata can reply to you)
• Your email + account info (if you choose to create an account)
• Optional location for Bristol services
• Basic analytics to improve the app

You can use most of Nyata’s features even without an account.

Yes. You’re fully in control. In the chat interface, you can:

• Delete a single message
• Delete a whole conversation
• Clear your entire chat history

Once deleted, chat data is permanently removed from your account.

Yes. Your chats are private and encrypted in transit. We never sell or share your personal conversations.

Anonymous data may be used to improve Nyata’s accuracy, but this cannot identify you.

Nyata AI is available on:

• iPhone – Download from the App Store
• Android – Download from the Google Play Store

We're also working on a web version for desktop browsers.

Nyata AI requires an internet connection to work, as it needs to communicate with our servers to process your questions and provide up-to-date information. However, we're exploring offline features for future updates.

Try these troubleshooting steps:

• Check your internet connection
• Close and reopen the app
• Update to the latest version from the App Store or Play Store
• Restart your phone

If problems persist, contact us at ibrahim@nyataai.co.uk with details about the issue.

Yes! We offer a REST API that allows developers to integrate Nyata's Bristol-specific knowledge into their own applications. This is perfect for community organisations, charities, or businesses that want to provide local support information. Visit our API documentation to learn more.

Getting your API key is simple:

• Step 1: Create a Nyata account via the App Store or Google Play Store
• Step 2: Log in to your account
• Step 3: Visit the API Dashboard
• Step 4: Click "Generate New Key" and copy your key

Your account will be automatically linked to your API dashboard, where you can manage keys and view usage statistics.

Absolutely! We love working with charities and community organisations. Contact us at ibrahim@nyataai.co.uk to discuss special pricing and integration options for non-profits. We're passionate about supporting the Bristol community.