Inworld AI, a San Francisco-based character engine for games and interactive experiences, has recently secured undisclosed funding, valuing the company at over $500 million. Among its users are Lightspeed Venture Partners, Stanford University, Samsung Next, Microsoft M12 fund, First Spark Ventures (co-founded by Eric Schmidt), and LG Technology Ventures. Moritz Baier-Lentz, a partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, has joined the company’s board of directors. Inworld AI has raised over $100 million in total funding and will utilize the capital to accelerate research and development, hire talent, invest in infrastructure, and launch an open-source version of its character engine.
Founded in 2021 by experts in conversational AI platforms and genetic models, Inworld AI utilizes advanced AI to build lifelike characters with personalities, thoughts, memories, and behaviors designed to mimic the deeply social nature of human interaction. The platform allows developers to connect Inworld’s character brains to their animation and rigging systems, including in 3D environments. These intelligent NPCs can learn and adapt, navigate emotional relationships, have memory and recall capabilities, and autonomously initiate goals, actions, and motivations that can drive the narrative and integrate into the broader player experience.
This new investment follows the company’s success in creating non-player characters (NPCs) based on AI, with partners such as Team Miaozi, NetEase Games, Niantic, 8th Wall, LG UPlus, Alpine Electronics, as well as in community mods for Skyrim, Stardew Valley, and Grand Theft Auto V.