Replika founder Eugenia Kuyda launches Wabi AI assistant for all users

In short: Eugenia Kuyda, the founder behind Replika, has launched Wabi, a free personal AI assistant that works like a messaging app with separate chat threads for different goals.

What happened

Eugenia Kuyda, who previously led the chatbot companion company Replika, has officially launched her newer startup, Wabi, for all users. Wabi is free to download right now, and the company has not yet shared a final plan for how it will make money.

Kuyda first pitched a similar idea 12 years ago at TechCrunch Disrupt. Back then, her product was called IO and it aimed to help with everyday tasks like booking restaurants and trips. That early startup later became Replika.

Wabi’s new version is built around separate “threads,” which are like having different text message chats for different parts of your life, such as health, family, or planning a trip. Wabi can also create small built in tools inside each thread, like a weight loss tracker or a list of nearby kids’ events.

A key feature is that threads can be shared with other people, like group chats. Kuyda gave examples like a shared thread with a partner that includes date ideas, calendars, and a list of restaurants to try.

Why it matters

More companies are trying to build AI assistants that manage email, schedules, and plans. Wabi is one of several new options, but it is betting that separating tasks into different chats, and letting people work together in shared chats, will be easier to use than one long conversation that gets messy over time.

Source: TechCrunch AI