🌍 Alibaba's Major Investment
Alibaba has invested $20M in Connectly.ai, a startup co-founded by Stefanos Loukakos and Yandong Liu. This investment is part of a larger funding round aimed at enhancing Connectly’s artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Alibaba, the global e-commerce giant, is particularly interested in leveraging Connectly’s AI assistants to improve how retailers on its platform communicate with customers. As one of the largest online retail companies, Alibaba handles millions of products, making effective customer communication critical to its operations.
💼 Connectly.ai's Vision
Connectly.ai, based in San Francisco, was founded by Loukakos, a former Facebook executive, and Liu. The company’s AI technology allows retailers to engage directly with customers on platforms like WhatsApp, Messenger, and SMS. The system helps businesses offer personalized communication, tailored to a customer’s past purchases and preferences, which improves customer service and product recommendations. The investment will help Connectly.ai expand in both America and Europe and further develop its AI technology.
🤖 Advancing AI and Team Expansion
Stefanos Loukakos shared that Connectly.ai will use the funding to continue improving its AI systems. “We will continue to train our AI to better serve customers. This takes work, capital, and skilled engineers,” he explained. The startup currently employs 70 people but plans to double this number, with a particular focus on expanding its base in Greece. The team aims to make Greece a hub for AI development and innovation, reflecting its founders’ desire to build strong roots in Europe.
🌐 Global Expansion Goals
With Alibaba as a partner, Connectly.ai’s expansion plans are in full swing. “Our collaboration with Alibaba will help us expand globally,” said Loukakos. The company’s growth has already reached three-digit figures, and this partnership is expected to accelerate its global reach. By utilizing AI assistants, Connectly.ai is enabling better communication between retailers and customers, ultimately solving common issues that arise from inefficient chatbots.
Can AI assistants replace traditional customer service?
