Ambi, an artificial intelligence (AI) application that aims to offer real-time intelligence and insights by continuously listening to users, has announced it has raised $26 million. The funding was secured across multiple rounds, with Luminous Ventures and Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) Huaqin leading the investment.
The company is launching apps for iPhones, Macs, and Apple Watch. These applications are designed to function similarly to meeting note-takers but can also be set to listen continuously to capture context throughout the day. Ambi's AI agent is intended to proactively provide suggestions or relevant knowledge during meetings, drawing on calendar, meeting, knowledge base, and web data.
Ambi's co-founder and CEO, Peter Mo, stated that the company is building Ambi to enable AI use "anytime and anywhere." The startup also plans to introduce its own hardware device, which will include a screen, speaker, camera, and microphones for context capture and information display.
The launch of Ambi's apps raises questions regarding privacy, particularly concerning indicators for third parties when conversations are being recorded. Mo stated that ambient data capture can be turned off by users and is off by default. He also noted that Ambi does not store user recordings and encrypts data, though the specific encryption type was not detailed. Mo acknowledged that the responsibility for disclosing ambient capture to others currently rests with the users, describing it as an industry-wide issue.