Sesame, a conversational AI startup founded by Oculus co-founder Brendan Iribe and technologist Ankit Kumar, has raised $250 million in Series B funding to advance its vision for voice-driven AI wearables. According to TechCrunch, the funding will support the company’s beta rollout and development of lightweight, voice-enabled smart glasses designed for all-day use.
Sequoia Capital, which led the round, said Sesame is building a platform for “natural collaboration between humans and machines.” The firm said the new investment reflects a belief that voice, not touchscreens or keyboards, will become the next dominant interface for computing. Sesame’s early demos, featuring two AI characters named Maya and Miles, have drawn more than a million users who have logged over five million minutes of conversation.
Voice Becomes the Next Human Interface
In its announcement, Sequoia said the interface layer of computing is undergoing its fourth major shift, from typing to tapping to talking. The firm described Sesame’s approach as creating an expressive and ambient collaborator rather than a simple assistant. By combining custom hardware, software and conversational intelligence, Sesame aims to deliver a seamless experience that feels less transactional and more human.
The company’s prototype glasses integrate microphones, speakers and AI agents capable of maintaining context across conversations, allowing users to interact with information continuously rather than through isolated queries. Sequoia said developing full-stack hardware will take time but is essential for creating natural, on-the-go AI interaction that blends into daily life.
Strategic Context for Voice and Enterprise AI
The investment highlights a broader shift in artificial intelligence toward embedded conversational systems that act as connective tissue between humans and data. Similar dynamics are emerging in financial services, where PYMNTS reported that embedded AI agents are becoming a strategic advantage for organizations seeking real-time decisioning and seamless communication. In another study, PYMNTS found that conversational AI could help banks win back up to 72 percent of customers lost to poor digital service.
Sesame’s model brings that concept into the consumer domain by embedding AI into a wearable device that prioritizes natural speech, emotion and context. For Sequoia, the investment represents a belief that the next interface will be defined not by screens but by voice-enabled collaboration. he company joins a growing field of technology firms pursuing voice-first hardware, including Meta, which recently began selling its first advanced smart glasses for $799.
The funding will accelerate Sesame’s product roadmap as it refines its conversational agent, scales hardware production and expands developer partnerships. The launch positions Sesame at the forefront of a new era in AI, where conversation becomes the interface connecting humans and machines.
Source: https://www.pymnts.com/
