Like many young people of her generation, Fai Nur was what she called a “chronically online teenager.” She obsessed over music groups, TV shows, and movies, and never missed the chance to talk about her interests endlessly online. When ChatGPT launched in 2022, she saw potential immediately. “AI could finally let any user actually simulate any character, not just watch or talk about their favorite worlds, but live inside them,” she told TechCrunch.
“The role-play and immersion that fans had always wanted was suddenly possible at scale,” she said. She brought in her friend Amit Bhatnagar, who grew up building Minecraft games, and Pritesh Kadiwala, and the three of them began building Status AI: a gamified social media app where users can play any character in any universe. The app officially came out of stealth last year.
To use app, Nur said, users first craft a persona and are then transported into a social world built around them. “A user can become a celebrity with millions of followers, step inside their favorite show or book, run for president, or go viral on the internet,” Nur said.
The worlds on Status are user-generated, where settings, stories, and characters all come from player interaction. “You pick one character to be your first follower, then earn more as the story progresses.” There are both multiplayer and single-player modes for users looking to connect with friends in the app. “We’re fielding interest from studios and streamers,” she said. “They see Status as a way to develop audiences before bringing fans together in theaters or arenas.”
The company announced Tuesday $17 million in combined seed and Series A funding, with investors including General Catalyst, Y Combinator, LightShed Partners, and Abstract. The raise is a …