Human AI Raises $3.2M Seed Funding - Personal Intelligence Platform

Previously, Luther.ai participated in the TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield event in September. This participation generated significant interest, ultimately leading to a $3.2 million seed funding round announced today. Alongside this achievement, the company’s founders have decided to rebrand as Human AI, a name they feel more accurately represents their core objectives.

Differential VC spearheaded the investment, with participation from Village Global VC, Good Friends VC, Beni VC, and Keshif Ventures. David Magerman of Differential will be joining the startup’s board of directors.

Investors were particularly drawn to Human AI’s focus on personalized artificial intelligence. Co-founder and CEO Suman Kanuganti stated that the exposure gained at the Battlefield event directly sparked investor conversations, resulting in a finalized agreement within four weeks.

“Our presentation at TechCrunch Disrupt, highlighting a secure, blockchain-powered personal AI designed to retain and recall information, effectively communicated the essence of our company to both potential users and investors,” Kanuganti explained.

Regarding the name change, Kanuganti noted that the previous name, Luther, caused some market confusion, leading people to believe it was a general AI assistant or chatbot. The founders aimed for a name that better emphasized the product’s personalized functionality.

“We are dedicated to developing AI specifically for individuals, with a strong focus on authenticity, personal voice, and thought, alongside the use of blockchain to ensure data ownership. The core principle is creating AI for individual humans, and we believe ‘Human AI’ reflects that perfectly,” he clarified.

As Kanuganti detailed in September, the tool empowers users to locate specific information from past experiences by leveraging a range of AI technologies:

The company is currently refining its product and identifying its target audience, but has already observed interest from a diverse group including writers, therapists, technology professionals interested in AI, students tracking academic work, and seniors seeking a way to document their memories for autobiographical purposes. These groups share a common need to extract key information from a large volume of data, which is where Human AI excels.

Human AI’s founding team is notably diverse, comprising Kanuganti, CTO Sharon Zhang, and designer Kristie Kaiser, with two of the three founders being women. Additionally, Kanuganti is an immigrant. The founders are committed to maintaining this diversity as they expand their team. “We aim to attract a broad range of talent, as we, being Human AI, believe in equal opportunities for everyone,” Zhang stated.

Currently, the company employs seven full-time staff and a team of twelve consultants. The new funding will be used to recruit engineers, AI specialists, and a marketing director to promote the concept of consumer AI. While currently operating as a remote organization with a global workforce, the company plans to establish a physical headquarters after the COVID-19 pandemic, providing a collaborative workspace for a portion of its employees.