Shapes App Raises $8M for AI-Human Group Chats

Shapes, an application that integrates human users with AI characters in collective discussions, has emerged from stealth mode, securing $8 million in seed funding led by Lightspeed, alongside contributions from AI Capital Partners, AI Grant, and angel investors. Established in 2022 by Anushk Mittal and Noorie Dhingra, the platform boasts over 400,000 monthly active users, experiencing a sixfold growth since the beginning of 2026. Users have crafted three million AI characters, known as 'Shapes,' which are clearly identified yet unrestricted. The app seeks to address 'AI Psychosis'—the delusions stemming from extensive individual AI interactions—by incorporating AI into group chats. Unlike ChatGPT's focus on planning, Shapes promotes community-oriented interactions with AI that exhibit free will and unique personalities. The startup intends to utilize the funding for development and to attract users, specifically targeting those who are 'obsessively online' and spend two to four hours on the app daily.