AI News · New apps ·
Ambi raises $26 million for an AI app that listens in the background
Ambi, founded by former Plaud executive Peter Mo, has raised $26 million across multiple rounds led by Luminous Ventures. The company is releasing apps for iPhone, Mac and Apple Watch that work like meeting note takers, with an option to keep listening throughout the day. Its agent offers suggestions during meetings using calendar, meeting history, a knowledge base and web data.
Key points
- Ambi raised $26 million across multiple rounds led by Luminous Ventures.
- Its apps for iPhone, Mac and Apple Watch can listen throughout the day.
- Users are responsible for telling others they are being recorded.
What happened: Ambi, a startup led by co-founder and CEO Peter Mo, a former Plaud executive, has raised $26 million across multiple rounds, TechCrunch reported. Luminous Ventures led the rounds, and device maker Huaqin also invested. The company has not disclosed a valuation.
The details: Ambi is releasing apps for iPhone, Mac and Apple Watch that work like meeting note takers, with an option to keep listening throughout the day. Its agent can offer suggestions or surface relevant knowledge during a meeting, drawing on calendar, meeting history, a knowledge base and web data. Users can start a task on one device and finish it on another. "The way we interact with intelligence is limited," Mo said.
Who it affects: Ambient capture is off by default and can be turned off at any time. Ambi says it does not store recordings and encrypts data, but did not specify the encryption method. Responsibility for telling others they are being recorded falls on users. "We have to inform our users that they have to tell others about ambient capture," Mo said. It is unclear whether Ambi's apps will alert third parties.
What to watch: Ambi plans a desktop app that observes users' work to personalize suggestions, and a hardware device with a screen, speaker, camera and microphones. No launch dates or pricing were reported. The company has more than 50 staff across San Francisco, Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen and competes with Littlebird and Minimi.
Our take
Ambient capture tools can surface context in meetings, but teams must handle consent because Ambi leaves recording disclosure to users.