Wajo, a personal AI agent startup founded by former Google and DeepMind engineer Shivani Poddar, is positioning itself as a privacy-focused alternative to competitors like Meta’s Muse and OpenAI’s Dot. Investor Vinod Khosla is backing the company, citing its architecture as prioritizing trust and safety from the outset.
The startup’s agent, named Fo, operates across iMessage and WhatsApp, handling tasks such as scheduling, gifting, and life administration. It can perform phone calls on behalf of users, hire humans for specific tasks, and generate virtual credit cards to process payments without exposing user financial details.
Wajo has secured investment from Jeff Dean and Gokul Rajaram, though the specific funding amount remains undisclosed. The company reports that its service is currently active in 107 countries and has experienced 10x growth since its late September launch.
To address safety concerns, Wajo has applied for a patent for its virtual card system and is implementing a trusted contact list for its calling features. Future development plans include exploring how the agent functions in social settings while maintaining user privacy.
