Sesame, an innovative conversational AI startup specializing in smart glasses, has successfully secured $250 million in Series B funding and is launching its beta testing phase for a select group of participants, announced the company on Tuesday.
Founded by Brendan Iribe, a former Oculus co-founder, and Ankit Kumar, ex-CTO of AR startup Ubiquity6, Sesame aims to develop a personal AI assistant capable of engaging users through natural, human-sounding dialogue. The company intends to integrate this AI technology into lightweight eyewear, allowing for seamless voice interactions throughout the day.
Key Milestones and Technology
Initially emerging from stealth mode in February, Sesame showcased its groundbreaking technology through demos featuring AI voices “Maya” and “Miles.” These voices quickly attracted over a million users, generating more than five million minutes of conversation, as highlighted by the company’s investor, Sequoia.
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Unique Experience: Sequoia emphasized that Sesame’s conversational interface offers an unprecedented experience, distinctly more engaging than traditional text-output systems. The AI generates speech that captures the rhythm and emotion of human dialogue, leading to positive early reviews. For instance, The Verge characterized Sesame’s technology as “genuinely fun” and “natural-sounding.”
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Smart Glasses Design: The forthcoming smart glasses are not only designed to incorporate advanced audio technology but will also be fashion-forward, making them appealing to wear even without the AI features.
Leadership and Development
Sesame’s leadership team boasts significant experience in the tech industry, with Oculus co-founder Nate Mitchell as chief product officer, former COO Hans Hartmann, and seasoned Facebook and Meta executive Angela Gayles among key personnel. This experienced team positions Sesame well in the competitive landscape of AI and wearable technology.
Future Prospects
Alongside the funding announcement, Iribe revealed the early beta launch of the Sesame iOS app, allowing testers to interact with the AI’s capabilities for tasks like searching and texting. Participants are currently asked to maintain confidentiality about their experiences until the official beta forums are established.
Investors participating in this latest funding round include Sequoia and Spark, alongside other undisclosed entities. With hardware development often taking time, no specific timeline for the glasses’ release has been provided.
