Shapes, an app that blends human and AI participants in shared group chats, has emerged from stealth mode with $8 million in seed funding. Think of it as Discord, but with AI characters joining the conversation alongside real people. Founded in 2022, Shapes already boasts over 400,000 monthly active users. The app's creators, Anushk Mittal and Noorie Dhingra, believe Shapes can tackle what they term "AI Psychosis"—a phenomenon where extended one-on-one interactions with AI chatbots can lead to delusions or paranoia. Rather than isolating people in private exchanges with AI, Shapes integrates AI into the natural flow of group chats with real friends. "Our lives run on group chats. That's where we spend all of our time. That's where we talk and communicate with each other. It's just natural to bring in AI into those same conversations where AI has all of the context and is readily available to help you," Mittal explains.

Within the app, AI characters—called "Shapes"—are treated like any other user and can engage in all the same ways humans can. They are clearly labeled as "Shapes" for transparency, but they face no restrictions. Users can craft their own Shapes and define their personalities. The company reports that users have already generated three million Shapes to add into group chats. Many of these Shapes are rooted in fandom, as the app serves as a hub for fans to dive deep into subcultures and connect with like-minded people. When someone signs up, they are prompted to select their interests, allowing the app to recommend group chats they might enjoy.

While some might question the need for AI in group chats, Mittal and Dhingra argue that a major reason group chats fizzle out is that participants hesitate to send the first message. Shapes addresses this by having AI agents initiate conversations and help keep them alive. Plus, users never have to worry about being left on read, since Shapes always acknowledge and respond to messages. Unlike AI companions on other apps that require summoning, Shapes have free will and can decide when to chime in. It's worth noting that while ChatGPT already allows AI and humans to chat in groups, those interactions differ significantly. On ChatGPT, group chats are typically for planning or brainstorming. On Shapes, the focus is on social, community-style interactions with AI characters that boast distinct personalities. The startup recognizes that not everyone will want AI in their group conversations, so the app is tailored for a specific type of online user. "Shapes is about human conversations," Mittal said. "It's more of a next-gen chat app than an AI app. The demographic is people who are obsessively online, who spend a lot of time online connecting and sharing. Those are the users who come in and they get an opportunity to obsess about their interests, and the AI acts as a facilitator in those conversations."

Shapes' growth has been fueled by word of mouth, according to Mittal, with the app seeing a sixfold increase in users since the beginning of the year. The company also notes that thousands of users spend two to four hours per day on the app. As for the new funding, the startup plans to use it to accelerate development and user acquisition. The round was led by Lightspeed, with participation from AI Capital Partners, AI Grant, and angel investors.