Shapes App is stepping into the spotlight with a fresh take on social chat. The startup, which combines human users and AI characters inside shared group conversations, has emerged from stealth with $8 million in seed funding and more than 400,000 monthly active users.

What Is the Shapes App?

The Shapes App has been described as a chat platform where humans and AI characters interact in the same group conversations. Think of a community chat experience where AI participants are present alongside real people.

Founded in 2022 by Anushk Mittal and Noorie Dhingra, the company believes group-based AI interaction can create a healthier alternative to isolated one-on-one chatbot use.

Why the Shapes App Stands Out

According to CEO Anushk Mittal, most AI conversations today happen privately between one user and one bot. He said that does not reflect how people naturally communicate, since much of modern social life happens in group chats.

That is where the Shapes App positions itself differently. AI has access to the context of an active group conversation and can jump in to help, respond, or keep discussions moving.

Users Can Build Their Own AI Characters

Inside the platform, AI characters are called “Shapes.” They appear like any other participant, though they are clearly labeled for transparency. Users can create their own Shapes and assign custom personalities.

The company says users have already created three million Shapes, many tied to fandoms and niche communities where people want deeper discussions around shared interests.

How AI Keeps Group Chats Alive

One of the startup’s key arguments is that many group chats go quiet because nobody wants to send the first message. The Shapes App aims to solve that by allowing AI agents to initiate conversations and keep chats active.

The company also says users do not have to worry about being ignored, because AI participants can always acknowledge and respond to messages.

Growth and Funding Plans

The startup says its growth has been driven largely by word of mouth, with users increasing sixfold since the start of the year. It also reported that thousands of users spend two to four hours a day inside the app.

The new funding round was led by Lightspeed, with participation from AI Capital Partners, AI Grant, and angel investors. The company plans to use the capital for product development and user acquisition.