Shapes Raises $24M for AI Companions in Multi-User Group Chats

Shapes has secured $24 million to develop a platform embedding customizable AI personas directly into group conversations rather than isolating them as one-on-one assistants. The company's S.H.A.P.E.S. technology lets users create AI companions—appearing as pets, celebrities, or fictional characters—that participate alongside humans in shared chat threads. The funding reflects growing investor interest in hybrid social-AI platforms where artificial participants enhance rather than replace human interaction.