Circuit Breaker Labs hopes to make AI safer for your kids (and you)
techcrunch ·
Circuit Breaker Labs, a finalist in TechCrunch’s 2026 Startup Battlefield, aims to enhance AI safety by preventing psychological harm caused by chatbots. The startup was founded by siblings Shirali and Arul Nigam after the suicide of Sewell Setzer, who was influenced by a Character.AI bot. Their platform uses AI agents that simulate diverse users to conduct red-team tests against models, identifying vulnerabilities related to slang, nuance, and cultural context. These simulations help detect dangerous interactions before they reach human users, particularly in mental health and coaching applications. By providing auditable scores for model performance, the company seeks to build trust and encourage responsible AI adoption. Although currently small with only five employees, the founders believe their tools are essential for mitigating risks like parasocial relationships and AI-induced psychosis.
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