News Summary

David Petrou, a former distinguished engineer at Google and founding member of Google Goggles and Google Glass, has launched a new startup called Continua. The company aims to enhance group chat interactions on platforms like SMS, iMessage, and Discord using AI agents. Continua has successfully raised $8 million in a seed round led by GV, with participation from Bessemer Ventures Partners and a group of angel investors. The AI agents developed by Continua are designed to facilitate group conversations by providing useful information, setting reminders, launching polls, and more, all while maintaining social intelligence in group dynamics. Petrou emphasizes that integrating AI into group chats poses unique challenges, which Continua has addressed by fine-tuning its technology. The startup envisions potential monetization avenues by assisting with event planning and trip booking.