Former Plaud exec raises $26M for AI app that listens to you in the background
Former Plaud executive Peter Mo has raised $26 million across multiple funding rounds to build Ambi, an application designed to listen to users continuously and offer real-time insights. The funding was led by Luminous Ventures and Original Design Manufacturer Huaqin.
Former Plaud executive Peter Mo has raised $26 million across multiple funding rounds to build Ambi, an application designed to listen to users continuously and offer real-time insights. The funding was led by Luminous Ventures and Original Design Manufacturer Huaqin. Alongside the financing, the company released software for iPhones, Macs, and the Apple Watch.
While standard note-taking tools process information after calls end, Ambi’s software aims to deliver proactive suggestions during meetings by pulling data from web searches, calendars, and knowledge bases. The startup also plans to release a dedicated hardware device featuring a screen, speaker, camera, and microphones, while its upcoming desktop app will observe user work tasks to build a memory for better personalization.
The startup faces notable privacy and security questions regarding continuous monitoring. While Ambi states that ambient data collection is disabled by default and that recordings are encrypted without audio storage, the company has not specified its encryption methods. Additionally, alerting bystanders to active recording remains unresolved. Co-founder Mo stated that users must inform others of active data capture because the broader industry has not yet solved third-party disclosure challenges.
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Original publication: 12 October 2026 18:17