Former Plaud exec Peter Mo raises $26M for AI app that listens to users

Ambi, an AI startup founded by former Plaud executive Peter Mo, has secured $26 million in funding across multiple rounds, led by Luminous Ventures and Huaqin. The company is developing an AI application designed to provide users with real-time intelligence and insights by continuously listening to their conversations and activities.

Ambi's apps, now available for iPhone, Mac, and Apple Watch, function similarly to meeting note-takers but can be set to capture context throughout the day. The company's vision extends to a desktop application that will store significant user work for more personalized suggestions and a future hardware device equipped with a screen, speaker, camera, and microphones.

Co-founder and CEO Peter Mo stated that Ambi aims to overcome the limitations of current AI interactions, which are often confined to screens or require delayed processing after recordings are uploaded. He emphasized the goal of making AI accessible anytime and anywhere.

The launch of Ambi comes amid heightened concerns about AI devices and applications that continuously collect user data without clear indicators. While Mo assured that users can disable ambient data capture at any time and that it is off by default, and that recordings are not stored and data is encrypted, the company acknowledges the industry-wide challenge of ensuring users disclose the use of such technology to those around them. Ambi currently employs over 50 staff across its offices in San Francisco, Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen.