Ex-Google and Salesforce Execs Launch $110M AI Startup Aiming to Bring Human Touch to Business Bots
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Bret Taylor and Clay Bavor, former executives at Google and Salesforce, have launched a new AI startup called Sierra focused on business applications. They've raised $110M from top Silicon Valley investors.
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Sierra is building conversational "agents" that can interact with customers for companies to provide support, account management, etc. The AI models are customized for each client.
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Sierra is positioning itself in contrast to big tech firms, suggesting small startups can outmaneuver larger competitors beholden to obstacles.
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The founders aim for Sierra's name and vision to convey a connection to nature rather than cold, robotic imagery often associated with AI.
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Taylor brings AI ethics experience from roles at Salesforce and on the board of OpenAI, while navigating recent corporate drama at both companies.