Likewise, a startup discovery platform backed by Bill Gates, is launching its own free chatbot named Pix. Billed as “the world’s first personal entertainment companion,” Pix helps users find TV shows, movies, books and podcasts, drawing from 600 million consumer data points. Trained on OpenAI models, Pix uses natural-language processing to answer user questions submitted by text, email or on the web at Likewise.com. Responses are promised “within seconds,” and Pix will learn users’ preferences over time. Likewise claims to have more than six million registered users.

Likewise CEO Ian Morris believes the vast stores of data available to Pix will enable better personalization, distinguishing it from other chatbots. “While AI chatbots have deservedly captured the public’s attention, personal companions like Pix will soon make AI practical for each of us, every day,” Morris said in an announcement.

OpenAI triggered a culture quake when it made ChatGPT the first widely available chatbot last year. Since then, generative AI has taken off, with dozens of variations.

Microsoft invested $13 billion in OpenAI to get early access to its models and used them to power Bing Chat. Google released its own chatbot, Bard. Anthropic debuted Claude. Meta AI took flight. LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman’s new company Inflection AI launched a chatbot called Pi.

In a crowded market, “Likewise faces the tough task of gaining traction with consumers who have been inundated,” The Wall Street Journal writes.

Gates has long been fascinated by artificial intelligence, engaging with OpenAI since at least 2016, according to WSJ. Gates provided funding for Likewise, launched in 2017 by former Microsoft communications executive Larry Cohen.

“To use Pix, you can ask the chatbot a question like ‘Can you recommend a scary movie on Prime or Hulu?,’ or ‘what are some documentaries currently trending on Netflix or Max?’” explains TechCrunch, noting “when Pix responds, it will also include links for more information or to “stream it now.”