AI Companion Pallie AI Raises $2 Million to Reduce Loneliness and Improve Wellbeing
SAN FRANCISCO, April 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pallie AI, a technology company developing an AI-powered companion supporting health and wellbeing, today announced it has raised $2 million in pre-seed funding led by Silicon Valley venture capital firm True Ventures, with participation from the health-tech investor Palta known for backing the unicorn Flo. The funding will accelerate the development of Pallie's AI companion, who acts as a friend, confidant, and wellness coach providing users with their Apple Health data analysis and personalized wellness support in their favorite messaging app.
Pallie's technology combines AI with an empathic, highly personalized, human-like interaction to address two critical challenges in modern society: loneliness and unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. Pallie engages with users like a good friend to provide social and emotional support through natural conversation. It further delivers personalized health recommendations — informed by advanced AI algorithms and Apple Health data — designed to boost the user's motivation for wellbeing.
In the fourth quarter of 2024, a Gallup report found the rate of loneliness among U.S. adults to be on the rise again at 20% after a temporary downward trend following the COVID-19 pandemic. Global reports on loneliness from the pandemic pointed even higher. The Gallup report cites social wellbeing specifically as a key factor in reducing feelings of loneliness.
To combat loneliness, Pallie seamlessly integrates into users' daily lives through existing messaging platforms, requiring no additional app downloads or sign-ups. 'Pallie is a pro at maintaining engaging, natural conversations that foster genuine connection and a sense that someone's looking out for your best interests,' commented Ivan Zolotukhin, CEO and founder of Pallie. 'Pallie is powered by advanced AI agents designed not just to assist, but to connect. Unlike most AIs, which can feel robotic, Pallie is so natural and relatable that users chat with it for hours about movies, books, and memorable meals — just like they would with a friend.'
Pallie's features include a growing collection of long-term wellbeing programs that help users increase physical activity, improve sleep quality, connect with new people, and make better nutrition choices. Its guidance becomes progressively intelligent through discovery and interpretation of patterns in user's health data, while also gaining a deeper understanding of the user through contextual awareness of their daily life — incorporating calendared events, relevant news, weather, and local spots of interest aligned with their wellbeing goals and preferences.
'We've long been captivated by the future of human-computer interfaces, and we are certain that AI will become an even more ambient presence in our lives in the very near future,' said Jon Callaghan, co-founder at True Ventures. 'When we met Ivan and his team at Pallie, we were amazed by their creation and how effortlessly their personalized agents integrated into the daily routines of their users. Experiencing it offers a glimpse into the future — Pallie exemplifies the incredible potential of AI to adapt to human behavior (in this case, by texting) and deliver meaningful value. We are thrilled to partner with Pallie to support their vision of the future of AI in our daily lives.'
'Our team of PhD researchers, top-tier data scientists, and health industry veterans has created something truly unique,' added Zolotukhin. 'Imagine having the world's most intelligent AI right by your side constantly thinking about you — one that truly gets you and is there for life's daily challenges. That's what we've created with Pallie. It's not just about tracking health metrics; it's about having a supportive presence that nudges you toward better choices, celebrates your wins, and offers a steadying hand during tough times — all while keeping safety and privacy at the core.'
The funding will be used to enhance the AI's capabilities, expand its range of wellness programs, and scale the platform to reach more users globally. Start talking with Pallie and explore its capabilities in beta, no app download required.
About Pallie AI
Pallie AI, a product from AI Companions, Inc., is an AI friend and health buddy focused on supporting emotional and social wellbeing. Led by PhD researchers and esteemed data scientists, Pallie is both a friend and health coach that communicates naturally with its users through popular messaging platforms while leveraging Apple Health data for personalized guidance. Pallie AI's mission is to combat loneliness and promote healthier lifestyles through accessible, intelligent, and empathetic AI interaction. Learn more at https://pallie.ai.
About True Ventures
Founded in 2005, True Ventures is a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm that invests in early stage technology startups. With more than $3.8 billion under management, True provides pre-seed, seed, and Series A financing to founders in some of today's fastest growing markets. To learn more, visit www.trueventures.com.
View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ai-companion-pallie-ai-raises-2-million-to-reduce-loneliness-and-improve-wellbeing-302441202.html
SOURCE AI Companions, Inc.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC News
a minute ago
- NBC News
Best Buy launches third-party marketplace as it looks for sales drivers
Best Buy is launching a third-party marketplace, as it tries to bulk up the variety of merchandise it offers and reverse slower sales. Starting on Tuesday, shoppers who go to Best Buy's website and app will see products and brands that weren't available there before, including more tech-related accessories like custom video game controllers and some nontech items including seasonal decor and sports collectibles. The company's online marketplace riffs off those of other retailers, such as Amazon and Walmart, by relying on third-party sellers to stock, sell and ship inventory and taking a cut of their sales in the form of a commission. 'Everything we do is really centered around the customer and their technology needs, and we do see customers actually doing a lot of consumer electronics transactions through marketplaces,' Chief Customer, Product and Fulfillment Officer Jason Bonfig said. 'And as a result of that, we need to make adjustments to be where the customer's at.' He said Best Buy noticed gaps in its assortment that the new platform will help it fill. For instance, Bonfig said the company didn't carry batteries for some older cameras or cases for older smartphones. And it didn't offer some items that complement Best Buy purchases, such as furniture that goes around a big-screen TV or cookware to use with a new kitchen appliance. Along with adding those items, the marketplace makes it possible for smaller vendors with innovative products to sell on Best Buy's website when they're not yet big enough to make or distribute the volume needed for its stores, he added. Best Buy's marketplace launches at a time when its business could use a boost. Its annual sales have declined over the past three years as the company contends with a sluggish housing market, selective consumer spending and a decline in device replacements after a spike in tech purchases during the Covid pandemic. The company cut its sales outlook in May and said it expects full-year revenue to range from $41.1 billion to $41.9 billion. That would be similar to Best Buy's annual revenue of $41.5 billion in the most recent fiscal year, but below the numbers it posted in the years leading up to and during the pandemic. Best Buy will share its most recent earnings results and sales forecast on Aug. 28. Tariffs have complicated the backdrop for Best Buy, too, since the higher duties have added costs for consumer electronics vendors and distracted them from other priorities like research and development that leads to new and innovative products, said Jonathan Matuszewski, a retail analyst at Jefferies. He said Best Buy tends to win sales instead of big-box or online competitors when there's a leap forward in technology. With the platform's launch, Best Buy joins other retailers that have jumped on the trend of introducing or expanding third-party marketplaces. Lowe's and Nordstrom started marketplaces last year. Ulta Beauty plans to launch its own later this year. And Target said it will expand its existing marketplace, Target Plus. On Best Buy's earnings call in May, CEO Corie Barry described the third-party marketplace as one of the company's strategic priorities for the year. She said that new profit stream 'is even more important in this environment' and will provide greater flexibility with the range of items and price points. Plus, she said the marketplace supports the company's growing advertising business. Sellers can buy ads for their products, including by paying for better placement in search results. Marketplaces and the advertising opportunities that come with them tend drive higher profits for retailers, said Justin MacFarlane, a managing director for the global retail group of AlixPartners. Sellers buy, stock and ship products instead of the retailer, and take on both the expense of buying inventory and the risk that they may have to mark down unwanted items, he said. Yet the business model comes with risks, too, he said. For instance, sellers may not have the same standards as a retailer and it could anger a retailer's customers if they send products in torn boxes, with missing pieces or days later than expected. And he said retailers can flood their websites with so many different categories, brands and products that they overwhelm customers with choices that seem irrelevant to their company's identity. 'You get addicted to the growth and more is more until it's not,' he said. At launch, Best Buy's marketplace will have about 500 sellers, Bonfig said. He said the company vetted applicants and whittled them down to the ones who can provide a high-quality customer experience. The sellers must match Best Buy's return policy, he added.
Forbes
a minute ago
- Forbes
This Boutique Hotel Group Has The Top-Ranked Resort In Tulum
Often, when new CEOs take the helm at a hotel group, they come with a list of things they believe need to be changed, improved, renovated, or revamped. For travel industry veteran Paul Cohen, he says, his biggest job is getting the good word out in a field crowded with new hotels and lots of public relations buzz that Colibri Boutique Hotels are already well-polished gems. The current group features four hotels in Tulum, one in Nicaragua, and a separate hotel in Baja California about an hour-and-a-half south of Tijuana. However, it's the Yucatan Peninsula that is expected to be the brand's primary focus. The hotels are family-owned by an Australian entrepreneur whom Cohen got to know during the Covid pandemic, when they were both living in Nicaragua, where Cohen owned a small resort at the time. "We would have lunch quite often together. We got to know each other," Cohen says. Then, about six months ago, Cohen says he received a call from his old friend, asking him to Tulum and take a look. At the time, he was running his own sports and travel marketing business. As Cohen explains it, the hotels had been doing very well without much of a sales or marketing effort, but as competition increased in Tulum, the properties were suddenly losing ground. As a consultant, Cohen told the owner, "Operationally, everything is great. These are beautiful properties." However, he said, the group was lacking the needed outreach to travel advisors who now dominate the luxury resort market, and was not active with the destination management companies, who can arrange local experiences beyond the resorts. He also told the owner that the websites, not the hotels, needed the upgrades. Two months ago, the owner called Cohen to tell him that the CEO resigned. Would he come down and take the helm? "If I was just walking into a new hotel company, I'm too old to start studying everything and trying to hit the ground running, but here, I knew the properties, I knew the staff, I knew the systems," Cohen says, adding, "Basically coming in, the analogy of a football team, as the coach of the team, but I already knew the players, I knew the competition." Cohen says the most significant changes were in the back office, where he modernized revenue management so that rates and availability are updated, and booking is travel-agent-friendly. 'You can't make it hard to do business with you, and that's what we were doing,' he says. Now, with so much buzz around Tulum, he says, part of the challenge is to explain what the four properties are not. 'While Tulum has become known as a Caribbean hot spot for partying, that's not our vibe,' he says. The Colibri resorts offer a range of authentic and sophisticated dining options, wellness, fitness, family activities and soft adventure. "You have great beaches, you have Mayan ruins, you can swim in Cenotes, you have great restaurants. You can party because there are places to party in Tulum. We're not the place where there is loud music." In terms of geography, Cohen notes that two hotels are located in the resort area, immediately next to each other. About four kilometers away are the other two properties, both of which are next to each other, and those are in the national park area. All of its properties are on the beach. Cohen says the group is a well-known player locally. The largest property is La Zebra, with 40 rooms. It gets a 4.8 out of 5 stars on TripAdvisor and 9.4 out of 10 on Staff, service, cleanliness, property condition, and facilities were rated a 9.6. While Cohen admits, "none of our properties have the big booming nightlife… we're not the crazy beach clubs," he says that, and the fact that there is a wide range of accommodations to meet different budgets, is what gives the group's hotel a loyal following. Lula, La Zebra's next-door neighbor, gets a perfect 5.0 rating on Tripadvisor, ranking it first out of 243 accommodations in Tulum featured on the website. Cohen says the two properties in the national park, Mezzanine and Mi Amor, are adults only and thus popular with couples. They each have similarly high ratings. In a time when consumers are rebelling against sky-high hotel prices and service that doesn't seem to keep up, Cohen says his collection, currently part of Small Luxury Hotels, offers high value with offseason rates starting at around $300 per night and suites in the $1,500 per night range. Tulum's Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport, with international flights nonstop from the United States, is increasingly accessible; however, Cohen says many visitors still fly into Cancun, about 75 miles to the north, where there are still massively more flight options. During meetings at Virtuoso Travel Week, last week in Las Vegas, Cohen said his view of the properties and their online ratings was reinforced by travel advisors who told him an increasing number of clients are looking for authentic boutique hotel experiences with reasonable pricing. Don't look for massive expansion. Right now, Cohen says there could be some opportunities locally.
Newsweek
a minute ago
- Newsweek
Pediatricians Defy Trump Administration With COVID Shot Push for Kids
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. 🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur. The American Academy of Pediatrics is urging COVID-19 vaccinations for children under 2, challenging new recommendations from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that exclude healthy kids from routine immunization schedules. This story is breaking. More to follow.
