Digitalization, urbanization, political fatigue, pandemic side effects, and a remote workforce have left people feeling more isolated than ever. Leading US social neuroscientist John Cacioppo explains, “Loneliness is like an iceberg—it goes deeper than we can see.” One out of every four adults report feelings of loneliness and isolation. Those feelings affect sufferers not only mentally but physiologically as well, including weight gain, sleep deprivation, a weakened immune system, high blood pressure, and even poor heart health.
Experts believe addressing the loneliness epidemic in this country and around the world requires a multifaceted approach that fosters real-world connections and face-to-face interactions along with community engagement.
The Flockx founders Devon Bleibtrey and Humayun Sheikh have developed a dynamic solution to do just that. Their new mobile application leverages personalized AI to provide individuals, local businesses, and brands the ability to ‘flock’ together and engage with one another in their communities.
The idea of Flockx stemmed from the founders’ visions of decentralizing AI. “Centralized AI manipulates user’s perceptions and behaviors,” explains Bleibtrey. “And research shows that isolation and a lack of community connections increase susceptibility to manipulation by AI. That didn’t sit well with us. We had this vision where everyone could own and control their own personal AI which would prevent centralized entities from manipulating people and at the same time help foster genuine community connections for our users.”
Flockx’s personalized AI Sidekick was crafted to enrich users’ social lives by uniting people through common interests and activities. Prioritizing privacy and user control, this AI acts as a trusted companion that helps users discover local events tailored to their preferences and empowers them to create and manage their own gatherings by fostering communities known as “Flocks.”
The Sidekick continues to learn from user interactions and adapts to their social preferences and habits. With continuous AI learning, the Sidekick also helps users keep regular contact with friends and family and even gently reminds them to reach out to loved ones, suggesting activities both parties enjoy. The Sidekick app’s real-time activity map encourages in-person social interaction by enabling users to explore new venues and events as they happen. By bridging the gap between digital interactions and real-world connections with their Sidekick, Flockx aims to combat loneliness and build vibrant communities.
The team behind Flockx is a powerhouse of talent and experience. Sheikh is a serial entrepreneur with exits to Google, VMWare, and Dell and founder credits with DeepMind and Fetch.ai. His entrepreneurial success, combined with his ability to identify trends and talent, is complemented by seasoned AI executive Bleibtrey’s strategic vision, technological expertise, and operational prowess. Bleibtrey helped transform ESG Mobility into a cross-industry powerhouse and played a crucial role in its exit from Cognizant. He was also instrumental in orchestrating a company-wide restructuring at Fetch.ai.
Joining them is Executive V.P. Joshua Raizon, whose background in hospitality and entrepreneurship and vast experience in strategic planning, customer relations, sales, and production adds a critical perspective to the leadership team. CTO Mark Losey also brings a wealth of experience from both enterprise and startup environments. His expertise in web3 technology and his ability to balance cutting-edge tech with practical application have been instrumental in shaping Flockx’s development.
Challenges and Iterations
Flockx has gone through several iterations. “Our core mission of connecting people through live activities and fostering community has remained unchanged,” shares Bleibtrey. After launching in Austin and later shifting operations to Grand Rapids, the team realized the significance of community feedback. They experimented with video feeds and other features but pivoted away when users expressed that their solution was too much like TikTok.
With their current iteration, they have succeeded by balancing community, personalization, anonymity, individualization, and social connection while leveraging recent advancements in AI. Bleibtrey asserts, “Our focus remains on delivering value through human connection. Feedback from experts confirms that our approach is unique and impactful in combating loneliness through technology.”
Vision for the Future
Looking ahead, Flockx aims to scale its technology and advance its personalized AI model. The team has plans to integrate their personal AI into broader applications as well. Raizon explains, “With Flockx, each person has their own AI model. This means we don’t use their data to benefit ourselves by selling it to companies for client acquisition or ads. Instead, they will have their own personalized AI that they can train. Currently, the personal AI we use is very basic, but it’s evolving towards a vision where we will be able to integrate socials and calendars and, eventually, possibly integrate it with other systems as well. This concept could revolutionize online identity management by offering a central hub for personal information.”
The founders’ commitment to their mission is unwavering. From its inception to its current iteration, Flockx is driven by a passion to decentralize AI and at the same time, combat the loneliness epidemic. The founders, Humayun Sheikh and Devon Bleibtrey, have combined their vast experience and visionary thinking to create a platform that empowers individuals and fosters community engagement. As Flockx continues to evolve, it remains firm in its mission to use the power of technology to bring people together and create a more connected, compassionate world.
