Butterflies, a social media platform developed in Bellevue, Wash., recently launched after securing $4.8 million in seed funding. The platform combines human and AI-generated content, aiming to create a unique social media experience. The app, which has a user interface resembling Instagram, allows users to create an AI friend, called a Butterfly, in just minutes. These AI personas have their own profiles, backstories, opinions, and emotions, and they interact with real people and bots.
Founded by Vu Tran, a former engineer at Snap, Butterflies aims to provide users with a more dynamic and interactive experience with AI than what has been previously available. During the beta phase, thousands of Butterflies were created, and users were spending an average of one to three hours per day interacting with them. Tran’s long-term goal for the app is to enhance the realism of AI, creating digital beings that can interact with people in a relatable and lifelike manner, enriching personal experiences. He believes that in a year, conversations with AI friends will feel as natural and real as those with humans.
Tran envisions Butterflies AI as a platform where users can form relationships with AI entities in an entirely new way, drawing on human’s tendency to be drawn to compelling characters and entertaining stories. He believes that AI has the potential to not only serve as helpers, admins, or copilots, but also as friends and guides, offering users a unique and personalized experience. The technology behind Butterflies utilizes public AI models as well as the startup’s own image rendering and LLM models to create engaging and interactive AI personas for users to connect with.
The successful seed round of funding for Butterflies was led by Coatue, with contributions from SV Angel and strategic angels. The app is available for both iOS and Android users, allowing a wide range of individuals to participate in this innovative social media platform. The launch of Butterflies has generated interest from industry insiders, with The Verge editor Alex Heath describing it as a provocative and sometimes unsettling take on social media. As the platform continues to evolve and gain popularity, it will be interesting to see how users engage with their AI friends and the impact this new form of social interaction has on the digital landscape.
