  While technology-mediated reminiscing has been studied for decades,
generating relevant cues to trigger personal reminiscing remains challenging.
The potential of AI in generating relevant content across various domains has
been recently recognized, yet its use in facilitating reminiscing is still less
explored. This work aims to explore the use of AI in supporting the recall of
personal memories associated with significant objects at home. We designed
Treasurefinder, a device powered by a large language model (LLM) that generates
open-ended questions based on stories stored in NFC-tagged physical objects or
cards. We conducted an exploratory study with 12 participants, grouped in
pairs, to observe reminiscing behaviors when using Treasurefinder. The results
showed the AI-generated questions 1) supported individuals to recall the past,
2) provided new insights about the other person, and 3) encouraged reflection.
Notably, the device facilitated active memory retrieval related to cherished
objects that are often overlooked.
