Eternos Raises $10.3M for Personal AI Voice Cloning

A New Chapter for Digital Legacy: From Eternos to Uare.ai

Robert LoCascio, the founder of LivePerson – a company renowned for its pioneering work in web chat technology since 1997 – relinquished his role as CEO in 2023 after nearly three decades of leadership.

Inspired by the rapid advancements in Generative AI, LoCascio embarked on a new venture. He envisioned a project representing the ultimate challenge for the technology: the creation of digital replicas embodying the complete life stories and unique personalities of individuals.

The Genesis of Eternos and the Shift to Uare.ai

In 2024, LoCascio established and independently funded Eternos, a service designed to preserve an individual’s voice and memories for their loved ones following their passing. This initial concept has now evolved, resulting in a rebranding and a refined mission.

The startup initially garnered considerable attention when its first client, Michael Bommer, facing a terminal illness, shared his experience of collaborating with Eternos. He dedicated 25 hours to detailing his life, interests, and perspectives, ultimately leading to the creation of a digital representation of himself.

Unexpected Demand and the Human Life Model

LoCascio initially aimed to build a business centered around legacy preservation. However, he discovered that the majority of potential users were not focused on preparing for end-of-life arrangements.

This insight led to the development of the Human Life Model (HLM). This framework leverages exclusively an individual’s personal data, rather than relying on generalized LLM data, to accurately capture their distinct values, life narrative, and characteristic decision-making processes.

Recognizing the broader potential of this technology, LoCascio envisioned its application in empowering individuals to create personal AIs for both professional and personal applications.

Securing Seed Funding and Rebranding

The company announced on Tuesday its transformation into Uare.ai, accompanied by the successful completion of a $10.3 million seed funding round. This round was spearheaded by Mayfield and Boldstart Ventures.

“I came to understand that large language models are learning from our data, becoming more intelligent at our expense,” LoCascio explained to TechCrunch. “However, we don’t have to follow that path. Individuals retain ownership of their models and have the freedom to share and even monetize them.”

Uare.ai: A Scaling Tool for Professionals and Creators

The core vision for Uare.ai is to serve as a powerful scaling tool for creators and professionals. Because the personal AI models contain the individual’s complete expertise, these digital replicas can be utilized to generate content, manage customer interactions, and even oversee project execution.

The platform, slated for launch later this year, will enable individuals to train their HLMs by responding to Uare.ai’s inquiries about their lives, utilizing text, voice, and video formats.

“The initial phase involves capturing a person’s life story. We ask about their origins, childhood experiences, and pivotal moments in their youth,” LoCascio stated.

Uare.ai then requests supplementary factual information, particularly concerning the individual’s professional background. “We integrate these facts with the personal life story, which ultimately forms the basis of their model,” he added.

Distinguishing Uare.ai from Existing Chatbots

Unlike platforms like Character.ai, Uare.ai’s model will not resort to general LLMs to compensate for gaps in information within the HLM. “Our AIs will explicitly state ‘I don’t know’ when they are unable to answer a question,” LoCascio clarified.

The company plans to generate revenue through subscription fees or by taking a percentage of the income earned by customers utilizing their digital twins.

Competition and Investor Confidence

Delphi, another startup focused on personal AIs and backed by Sequoia, is also making strides in this field. Delphi has already attracted high-profile individuals like Arnold Schwarzenegger, allowing users to interact with a replicated version of his knowledge through voice or text.

Navin Chaddha, managing partner at Mayfield, highlighted Uare.ai’s unique position in the market, emphasizing its focus on individual professionals, such as Certified Public Accountants. He also underscored LoCascio’s proven track record as a successful entrepreneur, as reported to TechCrunch.