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In some ways it’s quite simple. We were fortunate enough to back Quinten and Evan when they previously built Even, and we were excited to do so again. More broadly though, what they’re attempting with Tolan is conceiving AI Companionship with a thoughtful, responsible and fun POV. That feels important and, along with their third cofounder Ajay, we can’t imagine a team better suited to do this well. Early evidence suggests that they’ve discovered something novel, as more than 100,000 people are paying for the Tolan app. Now they also have a $20 million Series A to continue developing their vision.
As Wired writes when asking what ‘healthy’ AI could look like, “Tolans were designed to offer a different kind of AI companionship. Their cartoonish, nonhuman form is meant to discourage anthropomorphism. They’re also programmed to avoid romantic and sexual interactions, to identify problematic behavior including unhealthy levels of engagement, and to encourage users to seek out real-life activities and relationships.”
We look forward to seeing the future of Tolan! If you want to try the app, download Tolan here. And if joining the team excites you, they’re hiring.