signalTechCrunch AI2026-10-03
Circuit Breaker Labs hopes to make AI safer for your kids (and you)
Circuit Breaker Labs, a TechCrunch 2026 Startup Battlefield finalist, creates AI agents that mimic diverse users to test models for psychological safety. Founded by siblings Shirali and Arul Nigam, it runs tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of simulated interactions daily with proprietary scoring. This follows lawsuits over AI chatbots linked to teen suicides, including Character.AI and OpenAI cases.
- for who
- Parents, AI developers, and mental health app creators
- what changes
- AI models can be preemptively tested for dangerous psychological interactions, reducing the risk of harm to users
- to do
- Use Circuit Breaker Labs' red-team testing simulations to audit high-risk AI apps for safety
key points
- Founded by siblings, responds to teen suicide lawsuits against Character.AI and OpenAI
- Simulates diverse users to test models on slang, nuance, and harmful interactions
- Runs tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of tests daily with auditable scores
#ai safety#mental health#startup
score
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