Google Vet Raises $8M for Continua AI Agents
Former Google Engineer Launches AI-Powered Collaboration Startup
David Petrou, a former distinguished engineer and founding member of Google Goggles and Google Glass, transitioned to a new venture in early 2023.
After dedicating over 17 years to Google, he initiated the creation of his own startup company.
The Genesis of Continua
Petrou explained to TechCrunch that the accelerating pace of technological advancement motivated his decision to explore new ideas within a startup environment.
His vision materialized as Continua, a consumer-focused company leveraging AI agents to improve collaboration and communication within group chats across platforms like SMS, iMessage, and Discord.
“Essentially, we are integrating the capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs) directly into group messaging,” Petrou stated.
Securing Seed Funding
Continua recently announced the successful completion of an $8 million seed funding round.
This funding round was spearheaded by GV, with further investment from Bessemer Ventures Partners and a cohort of angel investors.
Addressing a Common User Behavior
Petrou observed a pattern during Continua’s development: users frequently copied and pasted insights gained from interacting with ChatGPT or other LLMs into their group conversations.
“An LLM can facilitate discussions regarding trip planning, dinner choices, or movie selections by actively participating in a group chat alongside users,” Petrou elaborated.
Streamlining Group Interactions
Continua asserts that its AI agents can mitigate the disorganization often found in group chats by contributing relevant information only when necessary.
The system can automate tasks such as setting reminders, initiating polls, scheduling calendar events, and generating Google Documents containing checklists and to-do lists as group discussions progress.
Users can also privately request information from Continua via direct message, retrieving details like meeting times or locations previously discussed within the group.
Technical Challenges and Solutions
While seemingly simple, integrating LLMs into multi-person conversations presents significant technical hurdles, according to Petrou.
Most AI models are optimized for one-on-one interactions, necessitating fine-tuning to enable Continua to comprehend the nuances of group chat dynamics.
Social Intelligence and User Control
Continua is designed to avoid unnecessary responses, ensuring the AI agent doesn’t interrupt every message.
“The agent needs to exhibit social awareness,” Petrou emphasized, adding that they had to fundamentally adjust the LLM’s operation to seamlessly integrate the AI into conversations.
Users can explicitly invoke Continua’s assistance or instruct it to remain passive if it’s contributing too frequently.
Access to Continua is currently available by adding its phone number to SMS groups or its username to Discord chats.
Competitive Landscape
Although other companies, including Meta and Hey Umai, are developing AI agents for conversations, Petrou believes Continua is uniquely positioned for group interactions.
Investor Confidence
Erik Nordlander, a general partner at GV, highlighted Petrou’s exceptional engineering skills as the primary reason for their investment, even prior to the full development of Continua’s group chat AI concept.
“David is a remarkably talented engineer with extensive experience in AI, predating its current popularity,” Nordlander noted.
Potential Revenue Streams
Nordlander suggests that Continua has multiple avenues for generating revenue, citing its current assistance with event planning and trip booking as potential areas for future monetization.
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