After a triumphant first year, Haltia.AI, a rising star in the UAE's AI landscape, celebrates its milestone anniversary on June 29, 2024 with the launch of its product ASIMOV. This revolutionary AI platform prioritizes user ability to know the source of the information provided, privacy and user control, marking a significant leap forward in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence.
Founded in 2023 by CTO Arto Bendiken, a pioneer in knowledge graph technology, and CEO Talal Thabet, a seasoned entrepreneur, Haltia.AI has assembled a dynamic team of 42 dedicated specialists in its first year. The company's impressive early success includes bootstrapping to over $1.5 million in funding and attracting an additional $2 million from investors in its first public round at the beginning of this month, primarily in Europe. This early traction reflects the growing demand for independent AI solutions that are not only ethical, private, explainable, and user-centric, but also independent of overly regulated jurisdictions.
"Securing funding so quickly for our AI startup has been less about the allure of technology and more about the compelling vision we present—a future where AI doesn't just enhance industries but redefines them. Investors see not just our potential, but the inevitable impact we will make," says Talal Thabet, CEO of Haltia.AI. "Being based in the UAE's supportive environment allows us to approach AI development with a fearless perspective. Our investors share the same vision as the UAE, and certainly ourselves, which is to transform potential into reality. We are all driven by the passion to push boundaries and the unwavering belief that tomorrow's breakthroughs are built by today's boldest thinkers," he added.
At the core of ASIMOV by Haltia.AI lies the groundbreaking KNOW ontology, a feat of engineering developed by Haltia.AI and unveiled last month. ASIMOV takes a unique neurosymbolic approach, combining the strengths of neural networks and symbolic AI. This approach goes beyond the limitations of large language models (LLMs) deployed by the competition. Neurosymbolic AI enables advanced reasoning, learning, and cognitive modeling, ultimately leading to a more trustworthy and reliable AI experience - a critical factor for businesses and individuals considering incorporating AI into their lives, businesses, and governments.
Unlike traditional AI systems that function as opaque "black boxes," ASIMOV offers clear explanations for its choices. This builds trust and empowers users to understand the reasoning behind ASIMOV's responses. As data privacy remains a top priority for Haltia.AI, robust security features are embedded directly into ASIMOV's core architecture. This ensures user data stays protected, a critical differentiator in today's data-driven world.
"The field of AI has come a long way since my early work on knowledge graphs 15 years ago," says Arto Bendiken, CTO of Haltia.AI. "While they provided a foundational layer for machines to understand the world, ASIMOV represents a quantum leap forward, integrating ontology-driven knowledge capture with large language models to create a more intelligent and responsive AI system. Today we are leaders in neurosymbolic AI, and believe that this is the only viable path towards trustworthy AI."
Haltia.AI was the first company to apply quantization to run LLMs on Apple's flagship iPhones and iPads since early Q3 2023. This translates complex AI models into a streamlined format, enabling ASIMOV to operate entirely offline on user devices, without an internet connection. This ensures the highest level of privacy and security, as data never leaves the user's devices. This stands in stark contrast to cloud-based AI solutions, which raise insurmountable privacy concerns for many users.
ASIMOV's unmatched flexibility sets it apart from pre-built AI solutions. It can be tailored to the specific needs of individuals, private companies, and government agencies, ensuring it delivers real value and integrates seamlessly into existing workflows. This is in stark contrast to the "one-size-fits-all" approach offered by the competition.
Building on its first- year successes and world-first achievements, Haltia.AI aims to double its team size by the end of 2024 and establish partnerships with multiple key industry players. The company is committed to expanding the ASIMOV product line to include sector-specific AI solutions, catering to businesses, governments, and individual consumers. This ensures there's an ethical, private, and powerful AI solution for everyone who chooses not to subscribe to the monopolization of their data while using an AI that meets the standards of their values.