Shapes, an innovative application facilitating group conversations between human users and artificial intelligence characters, has officially launched from stealth mode, securing $8 million in seed funding. The platform can be conceptualized as a Discord-like environment, uniquely integrating AI personalities into shared chat experiences.
Established in 2022, Shapes currently boasts over 400,000 monthly active users. Its founders, Anushk Mittal and Noorie Dhingra, contend that Shapes offers a solution to concerns surrounding “AI Psychosis,” a phenomenon where extended, solitary interactions with AI chatbots or companions can lead individuals to develop delusions or paranoia.
Rather than isolating users through one-on-one AI engagements, Shapes integrates AI into the fabric of everyday interactions alongside real people, fostering a more communal experience.
“Today, all of our conversations with AI are very private and one-on-one, but that’s not really how humans collaborate and communicate with each other,” Shapes CEO Mittal explained in an interview with TechCrunch. He further elaborated, “Our lives run on group chats. That’s where we spend all of our time. That’s where we talk and communicate with each other. It’s just natural to bring in AI into those same conversations where AI has all of the context and is readily available to help you.”
Within the application, AI characters, referred to as “Shapes,” are treated as peer users, capable of interacting in the same multifaceted ways as their human counterparts. For transparency, they are distinctly labeled as “Shapes,” yet their interactive capabilities are unrestricted.
Users possess the ability to create their own Shapes and define their personalities. The company reports that users have already generated three million Shapes for inclusion in group chats. Many of these AI characters are inspired by fandoms, enabling the app to serve as a hub for enthusiasts to delve deeply into subcultures and connect with fellow fans.
Upon registration, users are prompted to select their interests, allowing the app to recommend a curated selection of group chats tailored to their preferences.
While some might question the utility of introducing AI into group chats, Mittal and Dhingra believe that a primary reason for the decline of many group conversations is the reluctance of participants to initiate dialogue. Shapes addresses this challenge by empowering AI agents to kickstart discussions and play a crucial role in sustaining their momentum.
Furthermore, users can be assured of receiving responses to their messages, as Shapes are programmed to always acknowledge and reply. Unlike AI companions in other applications that require explicit summoning, Shapes possess agency and can independently decide when to contribute to a conversation.
It is important to distinguish Shapes from existing AI-human group chat functionalities, such as those found in ChatGPT. While ChatGPT allows for such interactions, they are primarily geared towards planning or brainstorming. Shapes, in contrast, focuses on fostering social, community-oriented interactions with AI characters endowed with diverse personalities.
The startup acknowledges that integrating AI into group conversations may not appeal to everyone, a consideration reflected in the app's design for a specific demographic of online users.
“Shapes is about human conversations,” Mittal affirmed. “It’s more of a next-gen chat app than an AI app. The demographic is people who are obsessively online, who spend a lot of time online connecting and sharing. Those are the users who come in and they get an opportunity to obsess about their interests, and the AI acts as a facilitator in those conversations.”
Mittal states that Shapes’ growth has been predominantly driven by word of mouth, with the app experiencing a sixfold increase in users since the beginning of the year. The company also highlights that thousands of users engage with the app for two to four hours daily.
Regarding the recently secured funding, Shapes intends to allocate these resources towards accelerating product development and expanding user acquisition efforts. The seed round was spearheaded by Lightspeed, with additional contributions from AI Capital Partners, AI Grant, and a consortium of angel investors.
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