MyShell Raises $11M for AI Girlfriend Platform
In A Nutshell
MyShell, a Tokyo-based decentralized AI platform known for enabling the creation of AI girlfriends among other applications, has successfully raised $11 million in a pre-series A funding round. This round elevates the total investment in MyShell to $16.6 million. The initiative, supported by key investors like Dragonfly and participation from several ventures and individual tech luminaries, aims to further develop its open-source AI model and support its burgeoning community of creators.
Decentralizing AI Creation
MyShell is carving a unique niche in the AI landscape through its emphasis on decentralization. By open-sourcing significant portions of its code and utilizing blockchain technology, MyShell provides tools for model training and facilitating creator royalties. This approach not only supports the monetization efforts of AI creators and researchers but also establishes a dedicated platform for trading and owning AI assets.
Empowering Creators and Users
With over 1 million registered users and 50,000 creators, MyShell is fostering a vibrant ecosystem. Its key products, “Workshop” and “Makerspace,” allow users to build AI agents and develop apps with no coding required. While a notable portion of its community focuses on creating AI companions, CEO Ethan Sun stresses that MyShell’s objective is to empower creators to develop a wide array of AI applications, moving beyond just companionship models.
Applications and Impact
The diverse applications being developed on MyShell range from AI girlfriends to AI versions of notable personalities, showcasing the platform’s versatility. About 40% of the content leans towards companionship models, with many inspired by anime characters. However, MyShell is also a foundation for innovative tools like MeloTTS, a text-to-speech solution, and Allice, a foundational model for AI-app development, illustrating the platform’s broader technological impact.
A Look at the Investor Ensemble
The funding round saw participation from a mix of venture capital firms and individual investors, including Dragonfly, Delphi Ventures, Bankless Ventures, Maven11 Capital, Nascent, Nomad Capital, and OKX Ventures. Notable individual backers include Balaji Srinivasan, Illia Polosukhin, and Casey K. Caruso, highlighting the significant interest from the crypto and tech communities in MyShell’s innovative approach.
Our Take
MyShell’s successful pre-series A funding round marks a significant milestone in the intersection of AI, blockchain, and creator economies. By leveraging decentralization and offering robust tools for AI development, MyShell is not only democratizing the creation of AI applications but also introducing novel ways for creators to monetize their innovations. This development signals a promising direction for the future of AI and blockchain integration, potentially leading to more personalized and diverse AI applications across various sectors. As MyShell continues to evolve and expand its ecosystem, it will be interesting to see how its platform contributes to the broader narrative of AI and blockchain technology shaping our digital and social landscapes.
