Interhuman AI Secures €2 Million to Enhance Social Intelligence in AI

Interhuman AI, a startup based in Copenhagen, has successfully secured €2 million in a pre-seed funding round, aimed at developing technology that enables artificial intelligence to interpret human social cues. The funding round was led by PSV Tech, with contributions from EIFO, Antler, The Yope Foundation, and angel investors associated with Ada Ventures. This financial backing will facilitate the expansion of Interhuman’s technical team, the development of its API and platform, and the initiation of pilot projects in healthcare and education.

Bridging the Gap in Human Interaction

As large language models continue to evolve, they often struggle to grasp the nuances of human communication. Research indicates that as much as 93% of communication is non-verbal, encompassing tone, body language, and subtle behavioral shifts. With this understanding, Interhuman AI aims to integrate a layer of social intelligence into AI systems, allowing them to “read the room” more effectively and respond in a manner akin to human interactions.

In a conversation with Tech Funding News, co-founder and CEO Paula Petcu emphasized the importance of moving beyond transactional AI. “Our mission is to bring social intelligence into AI, so it can actually read the room and respond more like a human would. This round gives us the fuel to prove that,” she stated.

Interhuman’s innovative approach focuses on observable behaviors such as hesitation, confusion, and engagement, rather than merely labeling emotions like happiness or sadness. By employing a combination of computer vision, audio analysis, and behavioral science, the company intends to translate human signals into actionable insights for AI systems.

Co-founder and COO Frederik Sally elaborated on this concept, noting, “A lot of work in affective computing has focused on detecting emotions. The problem is that emotions are internal states, and trying to label them often oversimplifies what’s really happening. We focus instead on behaviors, the external signals people show, which are far more useful in real-world AI applications.”

A Diverse Team with a Vision

Petcu’s journey to founding Interhuman AI is underscored by her extensive experience in health technology and data science. Previously serving as CTO at Brain+ and managing digital health projects at Lundbeck, she has been recognized as one of Denmark’s Top 100 young talents. Originally from Romania, Petcu moved to Denmark in 2009 to study computer science and has become a prominent figure in European tech leadership.

She expressed her motivation for the venture, saying, “I’m a technologist who fell in love with the human brain. When GPT was released, it was a moment of realization of a new wave of technology impacting the world.” Collaborating with academic expert Prof. Line Clemmensen, who specializes in AI and machine learning, and co-founder Sally, Petcu is determined to leverage technology to enhance human understanding and interactions.

Interhuman AI also stands out for its emphasis on diversity, with two of its three founders being women. Petcu acknowledged the significance of her role as a female technical CEO in an industry where such representation is limited. “What I’ve learned is you need to rely on your strengths, learn to say no to distractions, and build resilience like an athlete,” she remarked.

Looking ahead, Interhuman aims to establish itself as a leader in socially aware AI, targeting integration with hundreds of companies over the next three to five years. The founders view their work as foundational infrastructure, creating a social intelligence layer that could become integral to human-AI interactions across various industries.

Alexander Viterbo-Horten, Partner at PSV Tech, highlighted the potential impact of Interhuman AI, stating, “It shows that European founders can lead in frontier AI while staying true to the ethical and scientific standards that will define global trust in technology.”

With the recent funding, Interhuman AI is poised to make significant strides in enhancing the social capabilities of artificial intelligence, ultimately reshaping how technology interacts with humans.