Shapes secures $8 million seed funding for AI-human group chat app

13 articles · Updated · TechCrunch · Apr 29

The startup, founded by Anushk Mittal and Noorie Dhingra in 2022, has over 400,000 monthly active users and three million user-created AI characters.
Shapes aims to address 'AI Psychosis' by integrating AI into group chats, fostering social interaction and keeping conversations active. The funding round was led by Lightspeed, with AI Capital Partners and AI Grant participating.
Unlike other platforms, Shapes allows AI characters to participate freely in community-style chats, targeting highly engaged online users. The company plans to use the new funds to accelerate development and expand its user base.

How will Shapes make money without its AI companions compromising the user experience?

How can parents ensure AI chats support, rather than hinder, a teen's development?

Who is liable when a user-customized AI character causes harm in a group chat?

Can group AI chats create more powerful echo chambers than one-on-one interactions?

Are AI companions a cure for loneliness or a symptom of deepening social isolation?

Is 'AI Psychosis' a legitimate mental health risk or a clever marketing term?