Dive AI: When Community Heritage Meets Cutting-Edge Tech

(A Case Study in Purpose-Driven AI)

Let me tell you about the time we tried to save a 2.2-million-gallon natural spring fed swimming pool with AI. No, seriously.

In Oak Ridge, Tennessee, there’s a massive spring-fed pool affectionately called “The Big Pool.” It’s not just a place to swim—it’s a landmark with a rich history dating back to the 1940s era Manhattan Project. But there’s a problem. The pool loses 110,000 gallons of water daily (yes, daily), and some folks are ready to replace it with something more “modern.”

Instead of watching this iconic piece of history disappear, we decided to try something unconventional: we built Dive AI, a purpose-driven chatbot designed to tell the pool’s story, engage the community, and rally support for its preservation.

The Challenge: More Than Just Another Chatbot

The Big Pool isn’t just any swimming hole—it’s the second-largest spring-fed pool in the United States and a symbol of Oak Ridge’s identity. Yet, preserving it is no small task. Here’s what we were up against:

80 years of historical and cultural significance to distill into engaging narratives.
Technical and preservation challenges that required explanation in simple, relatable terms.
A community that needed inspiring and mobilizing to take action.
Decision-makers who needed convincing to explore preservation over demolition.

How do you take scattered historical documents, personal memories, and technical reports and turn them into conversations that inspire advocacy?

The Solution: Building a Chatbot with Heart and Smarts

Dive AI isn’t just a chatbot—it’s a storyteller, an advocate, and a guide. Its mission? To preserve the soul of the Big Pool by bridging the gap between history, community, and action.

Knowledge Base Architecture: Chapter by Chapter

We structured Dive AI’s knowledge base like a book. Why? Because history is best told as a story.

Example Chapters:

Origins and Construction – How the pool was built during the Manhattan Project.
The Pool as a Cultural Hub – Stories of summer memories and community gatherings.
Preservation Challenges – The hurdles we face today and why they matter.

This chapter-based design allowed users to explore the pool’s story naturally, step by step. As David Pappas, the creator, put it:

“The goal wasn’t just to organize information but to create a structure that felt like a journey—inviting users to explore, learn, and care.”

Ethical Design: Transparency and Sensitivity

Dive AI wasn’t just about sharing facts; it had to be trustworthy, empathetic, and ethical. Here’s how we ensured that:

Purpose-Driven Mission: “Act as Dive, an AI assistant dedicated to sharing the Oak Ridge Pool’s historical and cultural significance while advocating for its preservation.”
Strict Guidelines: No speculation, no invented stories—just verified, accurate information.
Transparency: Dive AI openly shared its limitations, directing users to credible sources for unanswered questions.
Sensitivity: Personal stories were handled with care, respecting diverse community perspectives.

Engaging Conversations: Making Every Chat Count

Dive AI transformed interactions into meaningful exchanges. Here’s a snapshot of how it worked:

Curious About History:
User: “Tell me about the pool’s history.”
Dive AI: “Absolutely! The Big Pool’s story begins in the 1940s era Manhattan Project. Would you like to dive into its origins or explore its role as a community hub?”
Addressing Concerns:
User: “Will they close the pool next year?”
Dive AI: “I want to be honest—I don’t have specific details about future operations. However, here’s how you can help shape the outcome: attend the next city council meeting or join local preservation efforts. Would you like more information?”

These interactions weren’t just informative—they inspired users to take meaningful action.

Tech-Driven Advocacy: The Story Behind the Chatbot

Dive AI’s creation was part of a broader campaign to preserve the Big Pool, blending traditional PR efforts with cutting-edge technology. The team used AI tools to summarize four years of city council and Parks and Recreation board meeting minutes, distilling critical insights into a compelling narrative. This fact-based approach not only informed Dive AI’s training but also served as the foundation for advocacy articles and editorials.

The campaign resonated locally, with stories featured in the press, and is now attracting international interest, including coverage in a major swim lifestyle magazine. By combining historical significance with the innovative use of AI, the project demonstrated how technology can tell a story that connects emotionally and inspires action.

Dive AI’s narrative design became an effective general interest story as well, showcasing how AI-driven tools can preserve history and spark conversations on a global scale.

The Results: Turning Engagement into Advocacy

Within months of launching Dive AI:

The city council paused demolition plans.
A new remediation study was funded.
Community engagement surged, with users showing a deeper understanding of the pool’s significance.

Key Metrics:

39% of site visitors engaged with Dive AI.
87% of conversations led to meaningful exchanges.
57% of users expressed interest in preservation activities.

“This project represents a new frontier in historical preservation,” said Reva O’Hallarn, whose historic pools blog Swim History Girl has featured Oak Ridge Outdoor Pool twice. “By leveraging AI to process vast amounts of historic data, this isn’t just about preserving this pool. It’s an approach that can use community-driven heritage preservation to help protect facilities like this across the country.”

Lessons for Your Chatbot Project

What can you learn from Dive AI?

Start with Purpose (Module 1):
Your chatbot needs a clear mission to guide its design. Dive AI’s mission—to preserve history and inspire action—drove every decision.
Build Trust Through Transparency (Module 2):
Be honest about what your chatbot knows (and doesn’t know). Handle uncertainty with grace and use ethical guidelines to maintain user trust.
Design Conversations, Not Just Responses (Module 7):
Create flows that feel natural and engaging, turning passive interest into active participation.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Dive AI

Dive AI continues to evolve. Upcoming enhancements include:

Whisper Voice Technology: Making conversations even more accessible.
Deeper Contextual Understanding: Using advanced memory features to tailor responses.
Vision Integration: Allowing user to introduce their pool photos and memorys into the conversation
Community Story Collection: Expanding its knowledge base with firsthand accounts.

Ready to build your own purpose-driven chatbot? Let’s dive in!