Inworld AI, a developer platform for AI-powered non-playable characters (NPCs) raised USD 50 million in a funding round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, with participation from Microsoft's M12 Fund and Samsung Next, among others. The funding round brings the company's valuation to over USD 500 million.

The funds will be used to bolster R&D efforts, senior headcount expansions, infrastructure investments, and to launch an open-source version of its character engine.

Analyst QuickTake: The large funding round and valuation comes just a year after its previous USD 50 million Series A funding round in August 2022 , showcasing investor confidence in Inworld AI’s solutions alongside the high R&D cost of developing generative AI solutions. While Inworld AI leads in this space, Replica Studios is another notable player developing AI-powered smart NPCs. In May 2023 , it presented a demo combining Replica Studio’s AI voice and OpenAI, enabling players to engage in dynamic real-time conversations with NPCs.