New Zealand's Soul Machines raises $7.5m Series A

The capital will be used to develop intelligent and emotionally responsive, human-like machines that improve user experience in AI-based markets. According to a statement, the investment completes a spin-out of Soul Machines from the University of Auckland's UniServices division, which has taken a stake in the company.

Soul Machines says its goal is to define the user experience for AI systems and platforms by developing technology that is intelligent, emotive and adaptive. This effort will build on a prototype created by the company's CEO Mark Sagar known as Baby X, which interacts with users through a computer-generated psychobiological simulation of an infant.

"Mark's work on Baby X is leading the way in the development of a completely new interaction model between humans and machines," said Phil Chen of Horizons. "With the rapid acceleration of intelligent assistants and productivity applications using deep learning techniques, Mark and his team provide an emotional and social reasoning platform to existing and developing intelligence in the AI industry."

Horizons in a Hong Kong-based investor focused on early-stage companies in telecommunications, media and technology. Iconiq is a US-based multi-family office that offers investment advisory services to high-net worth individuals.

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• Topics
• Australasia
• Technology
• Early-stage
• New Zealand
• Venture