Anti-ChatGPT app Superfy uses AI to match people for live chats and answers to queries

There are immoderate things an AI chatbot can’t reliably answer, for illustration really to lick a problem successful your relationship, which outfit looks best, proposal connected a problem you’re facing aliases possibly a database of individual recommendations astir which movies aliases shows to watch, among different things. For these types of questions, users coming still move to different group — and online, that intends utilizing platforms for illustration Reddit aliases Quora to get answers from different humans, not AI bots. Now, a mobile app called Superfy is looking to usage AI to amended link its users to different group for answers to these types of questions successful a caller unrecorded chat societal experience.

Originally envisioned arsenic a benignant of “Quora connected steroids,” Tel Aviv-based Superfy was launched successful 2021 by joined mates Michal Tamir and Gil Schoenberg, who antecedently worked together astatine nan Israeli-based information analytics institution Treato. They imagined a measurement to usage AI exertion to lucifer users successful existent clip pinch applicable group to reply their questions — that is, alternatively of typing questions into a hunt motor aliases chatting pinch ChatGPT, Superfy users could talk to existent group to get answers and advice.

Image Credits: Superfy

The strategy uses a afloat proprietary AI technology, Matchpoint AI, built connected apical of unfastened root LLMs to alteration nan matches. Its instrumentality learning algorithms and AI models lucifer users based connected a assortment of factors, including not only who’s online correct now, but besides if they typically usage nan app astatine a definite clip of day, if they thin to reply a batch of questions and if they person expertise that’s applicable to nan circumstantial query. For example, if personification asks, “Should I bargain an Ibanez aliases a Gibson guitar?” nan AI would effort to lucifer them to a personification that has knowledge of instruments and music. But for queries asking for recommendations, nan AI will lucifer users based connected nan individual relevance of nan reply to nan personification who posted nan question.

The strategy involves an auto-generated move database that identifies patterns wrong users’ discussions, alternatively of utilizing classical NLP (Natural Language Processing) methods and pre-indexed dictionaries, nan institution explains. Over time, nan motor learns from users’ behaviors astir their interests, knowledge and usage patterns to amended link them pinch applicable queries. The caller LLM-based Matchpoint AI besides considers topic-related knowing and users’ shared interests, arsenic good arsenic “personal chemistry” erstwhile matching.

The startup claims that only 10% of posts are niche questions that don’t get answered accelerated capable by existent people. In those cases, nan Superfy bot will connection an automatic reply while users hold for quality responses. The median clip to get nan first consequence from a existent personification is conscionable astir 20 seconds, Superfy’s founders show TechCrunch.

The app will besides nonstop retired push notifications to users who are not online to solicit much answers.

Although only disposable connected iOS, Superfy claims to person 550,000 registered users and 85,000 monthly progressive users who prosecute pinch its app — chiefly a young, Gen Z assemblage based successful nan U.S., Canada and nan U.K.

“For them, each of their celebrated societal networks — TikTok, Instagram — are much astir watching contented and nary of them fulfills 1 of nan original purposes of nan net — which was connecting pinch different group from astir nan world,” nan founders wrote successful consequence to an email Q&A pinch TechCrunch. (A unrecorded question and reply was not imaginable arsenic nan founders are based successful Tel Aviv, facing aerial ambush sirens and schoolhouse closures arsenic a consequence of nan Israel-Hamas war.)

“Add to that nan truth that they don’t usage Quora aliases forums, and besides don’t usage Google anymore to hunt because they want to perceive from existent group — Superfy successful their eyes is thing wholly new, and nan only spot wherever they tin instantly link pinch applicable group and talk everything connected their mind,” they responded.

In time, however, they foresee Superfy expanding to scope a broader assemblage beyond Gen Z.

In nan months since its launch, nan app has evolved from being an easy measurement to get speedy answers to questions, for illustration a unrecorded Quora, to go much of a spot for users to person meaningful conversations pinch applicable people, nan founders said. Plus, dissimilar sites for illustration Quora and Reddit wherever only a mini percent of users lend content, astir 85% of Superfy’s users actively prosecute pinch nan app by asking aliases answering questions. That has to do pinch nan app’s chat-like interface which creates a much individual experience, nan AI matching and its accuracy successful connecting nan correct people, Tamir and Schoenberg told TechCrunch.

This acquisition leads to much subjective answers, wherever users lend their ain ideas, tips, recommendations and support, not needfully nan “right” answer, for illustration AI chatbots purpose to produce. This besides leads to users spending much clip successful nan app — nan mean clip spent is now 31 minutes per day, arsenic users prosecute successful aggregate chats and sessions per day, of astir 160 seconds per convention crossed an mean of 16 chats per day. In total, users nonstop complete 10.5 cardinal messages per month, nan founders said.

As for what’s adjacent for Superfy, nan squad said they’re trying to proceed to work, contempt nan business successful Israel.

“It’s decidedly not an easy situation, but we effort to get backmost to regular and support working. Our users are from nan U.S. and astir nan world, truthful they are not impacted, and truthful it’s business arsenic accustomed arsenic overmuch arsenic possible,” they told us.

Superfy is backed by $5 cardinal successful backing positive an further $1.5 cardinal successful grants from nan Israeli Innovation Authority (IIA). The backing was crossed 3 rounds, astir precocious successful September 2022, and they’re presently raising a post-seed round. Investors see friends and family, and backstage angel investors, specified arsenic Alon Matas, laminitis and president of BetterHelp, and nan founders of an Israeli casual gaming company, Ilyon acquired by Miniclip.

The app is simply a free download connected iOS, presently without in-app purchases.