Terms of Service

1. Agreement to Terms

By accessing or using the services provided by Simply Asking LLC ("Simply Asking," "the Service," "we," "us," or "our"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you disagree with any part of these terms, you may not access the Service.

These Terms apply to all visitors, users, and others who access or use the Service.

2. Description of Service

Simply Asking is an AI-powered knowledge platform that transforms your documents into an intelligent, searchable knowledge base. The Service includes:

2.1 Document Management & Knowledge Library

• Upload, organize, and manage documents (PDFs, Word, Excel, audio, video, and more)
• Automatic transcription for audio and video files
• AI-powered entity extraction and knowledge graph visualization
• Department-based organization and access control

2.2 AI Search & Chat (Lumen)

• Semantic search across your entire knowledge base
• AI-powered chat with responses grounded in your documents
• Multiple analysis modes including deep reasoning for complex queries
• Cross-document insights and related content discovery

2.3 AI Agents & Tablet Platform

• Create and deploy customer-facing AI agents trained on your knowledge
• Tablet: interactive knowledge experiences you publish and share with customers, combining curated content with AI-powered Q&A
• Embeddable chat widgets for your website or application
• Operations dashboard for monitoring conversations and performance
• Escalation handling and knowledge gap identification
• Content restrictions and honest grounding

2.4 Integrations

• Connect third-party services including Google Drive, Notion, Dropbox, Trello, Slack, and HubSpot CRM
• Bring Your Own Keys (BYOK) for AI providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google)
• API access for custom integrations (subject to plan limits)
• Per-user connection ownership. Each team member authorizes and owns their own integrations. We never share OAuth tokens across users.

Role-based access to integrations. Each privilege below is enforced server-side at the API layer, not just in the user interface.

• Admin governance. Owners and Admins can view all connections in their organization (without ever seeing the OAuth tokens themselves), disable any member's connection, and access an immutable audit log of connect, disable, re-enable, and reauth events. These privileges exist for security and oversight; they do not grant Admins authority to act on behalf of a member with the third-party service.
• Reauth notifications. When an integration's OAuth token expires or is revoked by the third-party provider, we send a daily reminder email to the connection owner (with a 24-hour cooldown and an auto-stop after 7 consecutive days) so they can re-authorize.

2.5 Workspace & Collaboration

• Team member management with role-based permissions (Owner, Admin, Manager, Member)
• Usage analytics and reporting dashboards
• Shared knowledge base across your organization

2.6 Content Generation

• AI-powered content creation from your existing documents
• Document summaries, insights, and analysis

2.7 Self-Hosted Deployment Options

In addition to our cloud-hosted SaaS offering described above, Simply Asking offers self-hosted deployment options for enterprise customers:

• API Engine: The complete SimplyAsking engine accessible entirely through APIs. Includes hybrid search, knowledge graph endpoints, AI agent APIs with guardrails, and BYOK support. For development teams building custom UIs or embedding intelligence into existing products.
• Full Platform: Everything in API Engine, plus the complete SimplyAsking web application. Includes document library, visual agent builder with operations portal, interactive knowledge graph visualization, custom analytics dashboards, team management, SSO, and full audit trail.

All self-hosted products include unlimited users with perpetual licensing and Docker-based delivery.

Important: Self-hosted deployments are governed by separate agreements, including:

• Self-Hosted Software License Agreement
• Self-Hosted Support Agreement

These Terms of Service apply only to our cloud-hosted SaaS offering. If you are interested in self-hosted deployment, please contact sales@simplyasking.io for licensing information.

Feature availability varies by subscription plan. See our pricing page for details.

3. Accounts

3.1 Account Creation

To use certain features of the Service, you must create an account. You agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information
• Maintain and update your information
• Keep your password secure and confidential
• Accept responsibility for all activities under your account
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized access

3.2 Account Types

• Personal: Individual accounts for personal use
• Business: Organization accounts with team features

3.3 Age Requirements

You must be at least 18 years old to use the Service. By using the Service, you represent that you are at least 18 years of age and have the legal capacity to enter into this agreement.

3.4 Geographic Availability

The Service is currently available only to users located in the United States. By using the Service, you represent that you are located in the United States. We may expand availability to additional regions in the future.

4. Subscriptions & Payments

4.1 Trial Period

The Service offers a 7-day trial period for new users to evaluate the platform. Trial users are subject to usage limits as described on our pricing page. After the trial period, a paid subscription is required for continued access.

4.2 Paid Subscriptions

• Billing Cycle: Monthly or annual, as selected at checkout
• Payment: Processed securely through Stripe

4.3 Automatic Renewal Terms

IMPORTANT: YOUR SUBSCRIPTION WILL AUTOMATICALLY RENEW.

• Renewal: Your subscription will automatically renew at the end of each billing period (monthly or annually) unless you cancel before the renewal date
• Renewal Price: You will be charged the then-current subscription rate at renewal. If we change our prices, we will notify you at least 30 days before your renewal date
• Renewal Date: Your renewal date is the same calendar day as your original purchase. For annual plans, this is once per year; for monthly plans, this is once per month
• Payment Method: Your payment method on file will be automatically charged on each renewal date
• Confirmation: After each renewal, you will receive an email confirmation with the amount charged and your next renewal date

4.4 Price Changes

• We may change subscription prices from time to time
• Advance Notice: We will notify you at least 30 days before any price increase takes effect
• Current Billing Period: Price changes will not affect your current billing period - they apply at your next renewal
• Right to Cancel: If you do not agree to a price change, you may cancel before your renewal date and will not be charged the new price

4.5 Cancellation

• How to Cancel: You may cancel your subscription at any time through Account Settings → Billing → Cancel Subscription, or by emailing support@simplyasking.io
• When to Cancel: To avoid being charged for the next period, cancel before your renewal date
• Effect of Cancellation: Access continues until the end of your current paid period, then terminates. Documents are retained for 30 days, then permanently deleted
• No Partial Refunds: Cancellation does not entitle you to a refund for the current billing period
• Confirmation: You will receive an email confirming your cancellation and your final access date

4.6 Refunds

• 14-Day Guarantee: New subscribers may request a full refund within 14 days of initial purchase
• Annual Plans: Pro-rated refunds may be available within 30 days for annual plans
• How to Request: Email support@simplyasking.io with your account email
• See our Refund Policy for complete details

4.7 Renewal Reminders

• Annual Plans: We will send a reminder email at least 7 days before your annual renewal date
• Price Increases: If your renewal price will increase, we will notify you at least 30 days in advance
• Payment Failures: If your payment fails at renewal, we will notify you and provide a grace period to update your payment method

4.8 Plan Inclusions

• AI Chats & Search: All plans include unlimited AI-powered chats and searches through Lumen, our internal AI assistant
• Document Storage: All plans include unlimited document storage
• Team Plans (Build, Scale, Command): Team plans use flat-rate tier pricing with unlimited users at every tier. You pay a single monthly price for your tier, regardless of how many team members you add. You can upgrade, downgrade, or add optional add-ons (AI Agents, Tablet devices) at any time from your billing settings
• Current usage is visible in your account settings

4.8.1 Metered Services

Certain services are metered and billed based on usage. Metered services apply only to customer-facing AI features, not to your internal use of Lumen (which is unlimited).

Voice minutes are included with each subscription seat and Tablet device. Each plan and seat type includes a specified allocation of voice minutes per billing cycle. Usage beyond the included allocation is billed as overage at the rate of $0.50 per minute.

AI Agent messages apply only to AI Agents, which are optional add-ons that you deploy to interact with your customers externally. Each AI Agent includes a specified allocation of messages per billing cycle. Usage beyond the included allocation is billed as overage at the rate of $0.02 per message. For clarity, AI Agent messages are conversations between your deployed agents and your external customers or end users. Messages you send to Lumen (your internal AI assistant) are not metered and are unlimited on all plans.

Metered usage is tracked in real time and visible in your account settings. Overage charges are invoiced at the end of each billing cycle alongside your subscription renewal. You will receive a notification when your usage approaches the included allocation.

4.9 Free Trials

We offer a 7-day free trial for new Personal subscriptions:

• Payment Required: A valid payment method is required to start the trial. You will not be charged during the trial period
• Automatic Conversion: At the end of your trial, your subscription will automatically convert to a paid plan and your payment method will be charged unless you cancel before the trial ends
• Trial Reminder: We will send a reminder email before your trial ends and your first charge occurs
• One Trial Per Customer: Free trials are limited to one per customer. We may verify eligibility and deny trials to previous customers
• Cancel Anytime: You may cancel during the trial at no cost through Account Settings or by contacting support

4.10 Promotional Pricing

If you subscribe using a promotional offer, discount code, or special pricing:

• Initial Term Only: Promotional rates apply to the initial subscription term only unless otherwise stated
• Renewal at Standard Rate: Upon renewal, you will be charged the then-current standard rate, not the promotional rate
• Advance Notice: If your renewal price will be higher than your promotional rate, we will notify you at least 30 days before renewal
• Non-Transferable: Promotional offers are non-transferable and cannot be combined with other offers
• Right to Cancel: If you do not wish to pay the standard renewal rate, you may cancel before your renewal date

4.11 Service Availability

• As Available: The Service is provided on an "as available" basis. We do not guarantee any specific uptime percentage for standard plans
• Scheduled Maintenance: We may perform scheduled maintenance that temporarily affects availability. We will provide advance notice when possible
• Unscheduled Outages: Unscheduled outages may occur due to technical issues, security incidents, or circumstances beyond our control
• No Compensation: Standard plans are not entitled to service credits or compensation for downtime
• Enterprise SLA: Enterprise customers may negotiate service level agreements with uptime commitments and service credits

5. User Content

5.1 Your Content

"User Content" means any documents, text, files, or other materials you upload, submit, or store through the Service. You retain all rights to your User Content.

5.2 License Grant

By uploading User Content, you grant us a limited license to:

• Store and process your content to provide the Service
• Create embeddings and indexes to enable search
• Display your content back to you and authorized users

This license is non-exclusive, worldwide (to enable global access), royalty-free, and limited to providing the Service.

5.3 Content Restrictions

You agree not to upload content that:

• Violates any law or third-party rights
• Contains malware, viruses, or harmful code
• Is fraudulent, deceptive, or misleading
• Infringes intellectual property rights
• Contains personal data of others without consent
• Is intended to harm or exploit minors

5.4 Content Moderation

We reserve the right to remove content that violates these Terms. We are not obligated to monitor content but may do so at our discretion.

5.5 Regulated and Sensitive Data

The Service is designed for general business use and is NOT certified or compliant for handling regulated data. You agree not to upload, store, or process any of the following categories of regulated or sensitive information:

5.5.1 Healthcare Data (HIPAA)

The Service is NOT HIPAA compliant. You may not upload Protected Health Information (PHI) as defined under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

• Applies to: Healthcare providers, health plans, healthcare clearinghouses, and their business associates
• Prohibited content: Patient records, treatment notes, medical histories, diagnoses, insurance claims, prescription information, lab results, mental health records, and any individually identifiable health information
• We do not sign: Business Associate Agreements (BAAs)

5.5.2 Student Education Records (FERPA)

The Service is NOT FERPA compliant. You may not upload education records protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

• Applies to: Schools, universities, school districts, and educational service providers
• Prohibited content: Student grades, transcripts, disciplinary records, financial aid information, class schedules with student names, special education records (IEPs), and any personally identifiable information from education records

5.5.3 Consumer Financial Data (GLBA)

The Service is NOT GLBA compliant. You may not upload nonpublic personal information protected under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.

• Applies to: Banks, credit unions, financial advisors, insurance companies, mortgage brokers, and other financial institutions
• Prohibited content: Customer account numbers, credit/debit card numbers, income information, credit histories, tax returns, social security numbers in financial context, and loan application data

5.5.4 Government Classified and Controlled Data

The Service is NOT FedRAMP authorized and has no government security certifications. You may not upload classified information or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).

• Applies to: Government agencies, government contractors, and subcontractors
• Prohibited content: Classified information (Confidential, Secret, Top Secret), Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), For Official Use Only (FOUO) documents, Law Enforcement Sensitive (LES) information, and any data requiring government security clearance

5.5.5 Biometric Data

The Service does not meet the requirements of biometric privacy laws including the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), Texas CUBI, and similar state laws.

• Applies to: All users in jurisdictions with biometric privacy laws
• Prohibited content: Fingerprints, facial geometry/recognition data, iris or retina scans, voiceprints, hand geometry, and any other biometric identifiers

5.5.6 Attorney-Client Privileged Materials

While not legally prohibited, we strongly discourage uploading privileged legal communications. The Service is not designed for legal discovery holds or privilege protection.

• Applies to: Law firms, corporate legal departments, and their clients
• Discouraged content: Attorney-client communications, legal strategy documents, litigation work product, and materials subject to legal hold
• Risk: Uploading privileged materials may affect privilege claims in litigation

5.5.7 European Union Personal Data (GDPR)

We implement privacy-by-design practices aligned with GDPR principles. If you process personal data of EU/EEA residents, you are responsible for ensuring your use complies with applicable regulations.

• Applies to: All users who may have data from EU/EEA residents
• Prohibited content: Personal data of individuals located in the European Union or European Economic Area, including employee data, customer data, or any other personal information subject to GDPR
• Note: If you are a US company with EU employees or customers, do not upload their personal data to the Service

5.5.8 Export-Controlled Data (ITAR/EAR)

The Service is not authorized for export-controlled technical data under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR).

• Applies to: Defense contractors, aerospace companies, manufacturers of controlled items, and research institutions
• Prohibited content: Technical data related to defense articles, controlled technology, encryption source code, nuclear-related information, and any data requiring export licenses

5.6 Consequences of Uploading Regulated Data

Uploading any of the above categories of regulated data constitutes a material breach of these Terms and may result in:

• Immediate account suspension or termination without refund
• Deletion of the violating content without prior notice
• Notification to relevant regulatory authorities if required by law
• You remain solely liable for any regulatory penalties, fines, or legal action resulting from your upload of regulated data

5.7 Permitted Use for Regulated Industries

If you work in a regulated industry, you may still use the Service for non-regulated business purposes, such as:

• Marketing materials and public-facing content
• General HR policies and employee handbooks (without personal data)
• Vendor contracts and procurement documents
• Internal process documentation
• Training materials (without regulated data)
• General business correspondence

You are solely responsible for ensuring that no regulated data enters the Service. When in doubt, do not upload.

6. Acceptable Use

6.1 You Agree To

• Use the Service only for lawful purposes
• Comply with all applicable laws and regulations
• Respect the rights of other users
• Use the Service in accordance with its intended purpose

6.2 You Agree Not To

• Access accounts, systems, or data without authorization
• Interfere with or disrupt the Service or servers
• Circumvent security measures or access controls
• Use automated means to access the Service (except approved APIs)
• Attempt to reverse engineer the Service
• Use the Service to send spam or unsolicited communications
• Impersonate others or misrepresent your affiliation
• Use the Service for competitive analysis

6.3 AI Usage Guidelines

When using AI features (Lumen), you agree:

• Not to use AI for generating harmful, illegal, or deceptive content
• Not to attempt to extract training data or reverse engineer AI models
• To review AI-generated content for accuracy before relying on it
• To comply with AI providers' acceptable use policies

7. Intellectual Property

7.1 Our Property

The Service and its original content (excluding User Content), features, and functionality are owned by Simply Asking and are protected by intellectual property laws.

7.2 Trademarks

"Simply Asking," "Lumen," and associated logos are trademarks. You may not use these marks without our prior written consent.

7.3 Feedback

If you provide feedback or suggestions, we may use them without compensation or attribution to you.

8. Third-Party Integrations

8.1 Connected Services

The Service allows integration with third-party services (Google Drive, Trello, Slack, etc.). Your use of these integrations is subject to:

• These Terms
• The third party's terms of service
• The third party's privacy policy

8.2 Disclaimer

We are not responsible for the content, accuracy, or practices of third-party services. Integration availability may change without notice.

9. Privacy

Your use of the Service is subject to our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference.

10. Disclaimers

10.1 Service "As Is"

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

• MERCHANTABILITY
• FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
• NON-INFRINGEMENT

10.2 AI-Specific Disclaimers

Our Service uses artificial intelligence and large language models ("AI") to provide search, chat, content generation, and analysis features. By using these AI features, you acknowledge and agree to the following:

10.2.1 AI Limitations and Accuracy

• AI outputs may contain errors, inaccuracies, or "hallucinations" (plausible-sounding but incorrect information)
• AI may misinterpret queries, context, or document content
• AI responses are generated probabilistically and may vary between queries
• We make no guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, reliability, or timeliness of AI-generated content
• AI cannot understand nuance, sarcasm, or context the way humans do

10.2.2 User Responsibility

• You are solely responsible for verifying AI-generated content before relying on it
• Do not make important decisions based solely on AI outputs without independent verification
• AI outputs should be treated as suggestions or starting points, not authoritative answers
• Any actions you take based on AI outputs are at your own risk

10.2.3 No Professional or Expert Advice

AI features do not constitute and should not be relied upon as:

• Legal advice: Consult a licensed attorney for legal matters
• Medical advice: Consult qualified healthcare professionals
• Financial advice: Consult licensed financial advisors
• Tax advice: Consult qualified tax professionals
• Professional advice in any regulated field: Always consult appropriate licensed professionals

10.2.4 Third-Party AI Providers

• We use third-party AI services (including OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic) to power our AI features
• These providers may change their models, capabilities, or policies at any time
• AI model changes may affect the quality, style, or accuracy of outputs
• We are not responsible for changes made by AI providers
• Your data may be processed by these providers subject to their terms and privacy policies

10.2.5 AI-Generated Content Ownership

• AI-generated content based on your documents incorporates your intellectual property
• You retain rights to outputs derived from your content
• AI providers may have usage rights as specified in their terms
• We make no representations about the intellectual property status of pure AI-generated text

10.2.6 AI Bias and Harmful Content

• AI models may reflect biases present in their training data
• Despite safeguards, AI may occasionally generate inappropriate or offensive content
• We implement content filtering but cannot guarantee complete prevention of harmful outputs
• Report any concerning AI outputs to support@simplyasking.io

10.2.7 Grounding and Knowledge Base Limitations

• Our AI system is designed to answer questions using only information from your uploaded documents
• While we implement technical safeguards to prevent the AI from using general knowledge or training data, these safeguards reduce but do not eliminate the risk of ungrounded responses
• The knowledge gap detection system identifies questions the AI cannot answer from your documents, but this system also cannot guarantee 100% detection of all gaps
• You should always verify critical information against the cited source documents

10.2.8 AI Feature Changes

• AI features may change, be updated, or be discontinued without notice
• We may modify AI providers, models, or parameters at any time
• Performance, response times, and capabilities may vary
• We reserve the right to implement usage limits on AI features

10.3 No Professional Advice

The Service does not provide legal, financial, medical, or other professional advice. Consult qualified professionals for such matters.

11. Limitation of Liability

11.1 Exclusion of Damages

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL SIMPLY ASKING BE LIABLE FOR:

• Indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages
• Loss of profits, data, use, or goodwill
• Service interruption or inability to access the Service
• Any conduct or content of third parties

11.2 Liability Cap

OUR TOTAL LIABILITY FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO THESE TERMS OR THE SERVICE SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF:

• The amount you paid us in the 12 months preceding the claim, or
• $100 USD

11.3 Exceptions

Some jurisdictions do not allow limitation of liability for certain damages. If applicable law does not allow the above limitations, they will be modified to the minimum extent necessary.

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Simply Asking and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

• Your use of the Service
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any third-party rights
• Your User Content

13. Termination

13.1 By You

You may terminate your account at any time by:

1. Going to Settings > Account > Delete Account
2. Confirming via email

13.2 By Us

We may terminate or suspend your account immediately, without notice, if:

• You breach these Terms
• Your use poses a security risk
• You engage in fraudulent or illegal activity
• Required by law

13.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination:

• Your right to use the Service ceases immediately
• You remain liable for obligations incurred before termination
• Provisions that should survive termination will survive (e.g., liability limitations, indemnification)

13.4 Data After Termination

• You may export your data before termination
• We will delete your data within 30 days of termination
• Some data may be retained as required by law

14. Dispute Resolution

14.1 Informal Resolution

Before filing a claim, you agree to attempt to resolve disputes by contacting us at legal@simplyasking.io. We will try to resolve disputes informally within 60 days.

14.2 Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Indiana, without regard to conflict of law principles.

14.3 Arbitration

Any disputes not resolved informally will be resolved through binding arbitration, except:

• You may bring claims in small claims court
• Either party may seek injunctive relief in court

14.4 Class Action Waiver

You agree to resolve disputes individually and waive any right to participate in class actions.

15. Changes to Terms

15.1 Modifications

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. When we make material changes:

• We will update the "Last Updated" date
• We will notify you via email or in-app notification
• Changes become effective 30 days after notice

15.2 Continued Use

Your continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the modified Terms. If you disagree with changes, you must stop using the Service.

16. General Provisions

• Entire Agreement: These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and any other agreements, constitute the entire agreement between you and Simply Asking.
• Severability: If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in effect.
• Waiver: Our failure to enforce any provision does not constitute a waiver of that provision.
• Assignment: You may not assign these Terms without our consent. We may assign these Terms without restriction.
• Force Majeure: We are not liable for delays or failures due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control.

17. Contact Us

For questions about these Terms:

• Email: legal@simplyasking.io