Meet Shapes: The Social App Where Humans and AI Chat Together in Group Conversations

Shapes, a social messAGIng APP that brings humans and AI charACTers together in shared group chats, has raised $8 million in Seed Funding and officially emerged from stealth.

Founded in 2022, Shapes now has over 400,000 monthly active users. The app allows users to add AI characters, called “Shapes,” directly into group conversations where they interact just like human participants—clearly labeled for transparency but unrestricted in behavior. Users can create their own Shapes, setting unique Personalities, and over three million such AI characters have already been built.

Unlike traditional one-on-one AI chatbot interactions, Shapes integrates AI into real human social dynamics. The founders, Anushk Mittal and Noorie Dhingra, say this approach helps address issues related to “AI psychosis”—delusions or paranoia that can arise from prolonged, isolated AI companion use.

“Our lives run on group chats. It’s natural to bring AI into those Same conversations,” said CEO Mittal. In Shapes, AI characters have free will, can initiate conversations, and help keep group chats alive—especially when human users hesitate to message first.

While ChatGPT allows group chats for planning or brainstorming, Shapes focuses on commUnity-style, social interactions with diverse AI personalities. The app recommends group chats based on users’ interests, and many communities revolve around fandom and subculture discussions.

Growth has been largely word-of-mouth, with a sixfold increase in users since the start of the year. Thousands of users spend two to four hours daily on the app. The $8 million seed round was led by Lightspeed, with participation from AI Capital Partners, AI Grant, and angel investors. Funds will be used to accelerate development and user acquisition.

Shapes positions itself as a next-gen chat app for people who are “obsessively online,” offering a space where AI acts as a facilitator rather than a replacement for human connection.