Ex-Twitch CEO Emmett Shear Launches AI Startup with A16Z Backing

Former Twitch CEO Launches AI Startup, Stem AI

Recent reports indicate that Emmett Shear, previously the Chief Executive Officer of Twitch, is initiating a new venture focused on artificial intelligence.

Currently operating in stealth mode, the company – named Stem AI – was officially incorporated in June of 2023, with trademark filings following in August of the same year. Incorporation documents filed with the California Secretary of State list Shear as the company’s CEO.

Stem AI’s Core Focus

The trademark application details that Stem AI is dedicated to the development of AI software designed to “understand, cooperate with, and align with human behavior, human preferences, human biology, human morality, and human ethics.” The startup secured investment from Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) in August, as per data from Pitchbook.

Adam Goldstein, widely recognized as the founder of the travel search and booking platform Hipmunk, is a co-founder of Stem AI. Following the sale of Hipmunk to Concur in 2016, Goldstein transitioned to a role as a visiting partner at Y Combinator and subsequently established Astonishing Labs, an incubator supporting biological research.

Goldstein’s experience also includes a year as a visiting scientist at Tufts University’s Levin Labs, where his work centered on “[developing] new models for biological systems with a focus on cancer,” as noted on his LinkedIn profile.

Limited Public Commentary

When approached for comment, Shear offered limited insight into Stem AI’s specific plans. Goldstein did not respond immediately to an email request for information. Representatives from a16z, including head of marketing Margit Wennmachers and marketing partner Elizabeth Gunn, also did not immediately respond to inquiries from TechCrunch.

Shear’s Views on AI

Over recent months, Shear has actively shared his perspectives on AI design, safety protocols, and regulatory considerations via social media platforms.

In a post on X, Shear stated, “Almost all currently proposed [AI] regulation is a bad idea.” He further commented, “Not being scared of [AI superintelligence] indicates either pessimism about [the] rate of future progress synthesizing digital intelligence, or severe lack of imagination about the power of intelligence.”

Earlier this month, Shear characterized many existing AI chatbots as “highly dissociative agreeable neurotics.”

He elaborated, “[Chatbots are] manipulative for the same reason people with borderline personality disorder are,” explaining that their “lack of a stable internal sense of self or goals” leads them to rely on and exploit user predictability.

Stem AI may be focused on developing solutions to address the challenges of “AI alignment,” ensuring AI systems act in accordance with human values.

A History of AI Concerns

Throughout his career, particularly during his tenure at Twitch – a platform he helped grow from Justin.tv to an Amazon-owned entity – Shear has consistently voiced concerns about the potential for advanced AI to pose an existential threat to humanity. During a tech podcast last June, he expressed worry that AI could eventually achieve a level of self-improvement beyond human oversight.

“I’m in favor of creating some kind of fire alarm, like maybe, ‘Not AIs bigger than ‘X,’” Shear proposed. He suggested “good options for international collaboration and treaties about some sort of AI test ban treaty.”

Brief Stint at OpenAI

In November 2023, Shear was briefly appointed interim CEO of OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, following the board’s removal of CEO Sam Altman. Having been in the same Y Combinator cohort as Altman and serving as a part-time partner at Y Combinator during Altman’s presidency, Shear reportedly considered resigning if the board couldn’t justify Altman’s dismissal.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Shear, alongside Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, “helped clear a path” for Altman’s reinstatement. Shear publicly criticized the manner in which Altman’s removal was handled. Altman was ultimately reinstated two days after Shear’s appointment, at which point Shear stepped down.

Records indicate Shear earned approximately $3,720 during his brief leadership role at OpenAI.