Two former Meta artificial intelligence executives have launched Yutori, a San Francisco-based startup focused on developing AI-powered personal assistants capable of performing tasks autonomously. The company announced on Thursday that it has raised $15 million in funding to support its efforts, marking a significant step in the evolution of AI-driven automation.
A New Approach to AI Assistants
Yutori aims to go beyond traditional chatbots, which primarily serve as conversational tools, and instead develop autonomous AI agents that can take real actions on behalf of users. These systems are designed to handle complex tasks such as ordering food, booking travel, or managing logistics, eliminating the need for constant human oversight.
“Right now, there’s a lot happening with chatbots, but they aren’t actually doing things for you,” said Devi Parikh, co-founder of Yutori and former head of multimodal AI research at Meta. “We’re working to redefine how people interact with AI by focusing on true autonomy and efficiency.”
The Team Behind Yutori
Yutori was co-founded by Devi Parikh and Dhruv Batra, both of whom played key roles in Meta’s AI research. Parikh led Meta’s multimodal AI research, which explored how AI models interpret and generate content using multiple data types such as text, images, and video. Batra, meanwhile, led Meta’s embodied AI team, which worked on developing AI models capable of navigating and interacting with the physical world.
Their team also includes experts who previously worked on Llama 3 and Llama 4, Meta’s flagship open-source AI models, further strengthening Yutori’s technical foundation.
Funding and Industry Backing
Yutori’s $15 million funding round was led by Rob Toews at Radical Ventures, with participation from prominent figures in the AI industry, including:
- Fei-Fei Li, a leading AI researcher often referred to as the "godmother of AI"
- Jeff Dean, Chief Scientist at Google DeepMind
- Felicis, an early-stage venture capital firm
The strong backing underscores growing investor interest in autonomous AI systems, which many experts believe will be a dominant force in AI development this year.
A Focus on Post-Training AI Models
A key differentiator for Yutori is its focus on post-training models—a process that refines AI systems after their initial training phase to improve their ability to navigate the web and execute tasks more efficiently. This method has become increasingly important in AI development, particularly for reasoning-focused models such as OpenAI’s o1 and o3 models.
By leveraging post-training techniques, Yutori aims to build AI assistants that seamlessly integrate into daily life, automating a wide range of tasks with minimal user input.
The Future of AI Personal Assistants
The launch of Yutori comes at a time when AI-powered autonomous agents are gaining traction in the tech industry. Industry leaders, including OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar, have emphasized that such systems will shape the next wave of AI innovation, as models become more capable of executing complex, multi-step tasks.
With its experienced team and strong investor backing, Yutori is well-positioned to make significant strides in the AI assistant space. As the company refines its technology and expands its offerings, it could play a key role in shaping the future of AI-driven automation.