Bootloader Studio Secures $5 Million To Create Technology That Responses To Human Emotions

By Amit Chowdhry • Jun 3, 2024

Bootloader Studio, a pioneering experience at the intersection of affective AI and spatial computing, emerged from stealth with the vision, funding, and clear path to develop emotionally-driven AI that can read and respond to human emotion. Bootloader Studio also revealed that it has raised $5 million in seed funding led by Antler Elevate. And the Bootloader Studio team brings together expertise in entertainment (film, video games) and AI to create a wholly new virtual and interactive experience.

This funding round will be used to expand the Bootloader Studio team and go to market with its first consumer product, slated to launch later this year on Apple Vision Pro spatial computing device.

Bootloader Studio has been creating breakthrough technology that reads and responds to human emotion to create two-way engagement. Now possible with the availability of personal spatial computing and augmented reality tools, affective AI unlocks the next frontier of technological transformation by bringing emotional intelligence to generative AI.

KEY QUOTES:

“Technology can completely transform human behavior, from the personal computer to the web browser to the smartphone to generative AI, and innovation has reshaped the way we interact and connect with the world around us. But we have reached a new inflection point.”

“Humans are also more emotionally disconnected than ever, longing for meaningful interactions instead of continuous scrolling for digitally-induced dopamine hits. Bootloader Studio is pioneering a new, connective experience, leveraging affective AI and spatial computing to once again transform how humans interact with technology. We imagine a future where humans and technology interact naturally, creating new points of rewarding connection and emotional engagement and we’re making it a reality.”

“Just as generative AI was built and trained upon the written words of the world, affective AI will learn from and analyze the nuanced emotional reactions that make up the human experience. Bootloader Studio, through our affective AI, will allow technology to interact with people as the biological beings that they are, as opposed to just responding to commands on a keyboard. It’s an exciting mission that we’re honored to lead.”

“Affective AI is a deeply personal advancement in technology, and so it is vital that the user remains in control of their data, experience, and how it is used. People, not the affective AI, must always come first and drive these emotion-powered experiences in augmented reality. Bootloader Studio is instituting industry-leading protections to ensure individuals are protected.”

“Bootloader Studio’s approach to affective AI will unlock a new frontier of individual emotional models representative of how users may engage with new technology in the future. As such, Bootloader Studio has put privacy and consumer protections at the heart of development.”

– Bryan Pelz, CEO and founder of Bootloader Studio

“We believe that AR technology combined with the advances in affective AI creates an enormous opportunity that is only just beginning to emerge. Bryan and the team at Bootloader Studio not only have a strong technical foundation but also possess the tremendous vision to be hugely successful. We are extremely excited with what they are building and the potential it has to reshape this nascent industry.”

– Fady Abdel-NourPartner, Antler Elevate