Humans& AI Startup Secures $480M Seed Funding from Tech Luminaries
Humans&, a groundbreaking startup focused on leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance human collaboration, has garnered significant attention by securing $480 million in seed funding. This funding values the company at an impressive $4.48 billion.
Investment Highlights
The latest funding round attracted notable investors from the tech industry. Key contributors include:
- Nvidia, a leading chipmaker
- Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder
- SV Angel, a prominent venture capital firm
- Google Ventures
- Emerson Collective, led by Laurene Powell Jobs
Founders and Team Composition
Humans& was established by a team with rich backgrounds in AI research and technology. The founders include:
- Andi Peng, a former researcher at Anthropic, known for work on reinforcement learning
- Georges Harik, Google’s seventh employee and a pioneer in its advertising technology
- Eric Zelikman and Yuchen He, ex-researchers at xAI who were integral in developing the Grok chatbot
- Noah Goodman, a professor at Stanford University specializing in psychology and computer science
The startup employs over 20 experts from significant organizations such as OpenAI, Meta, Reflection, AI2, and MIT.
Vision and Objectives
Humans& aims to create software that acts as an innovative communication tool, reminiscent of instant messaging apps but infused with AI capabilities. Their core objectives include:
- Utilizing existing AI methodologies to enhance interactive experiences.
- Programming chatbots to engage users for information gathering and retention.
- Revolutionizing the approach to model training and user interaction with AI.
Focus Areas for Development
The startup emphasizes the need for advancements in several key areas:
- Long-horizon reinforcement learning
- Multi-agent collaboration
- Memory enhancement techniques
- Improved user understanding
Humans& is committed to integrating scientific research with product development strategies to fulfill its mission. By doing so, the company aims to become a vital force for organizations and communities through AI.
