An AI chatbot has its limitations when it comes to providing reliable answers. It struggles with issues like solving relationship problems, suggesting the best outfit, offering advice on personal challenges, or providing a list of movie and show recommendations. For such inquiries, users typically turn to fellow humans on platforms like Reddit or Quora instead of relying on AI bots. Now, a mobile app named Superfy aims to leverage AI to enhance user connections and provide answers to these kinds of questions through a new live chat social experience.
Originally conceived as an enhanced version of “Quora,” Superfy was founded in 2021 by the married duo Michal Tamir and Gil Schoenberg, who had previously collaborated at the Israeli data analytics company Treato. Their vision was to utilize AI technology to match users in real-time with individuals who could provide relevant answers to their questions. Instead of typing questions into a search engine or conversing with AI like ChatGPT, Superfy users could engage in conversations with real people for advice and answers.
The system relies on a proprietary AI technology known as Matchpoint AI, built on top of open-source LLMs (Large Language Models). This technology employs machine learning algorithms and AI models to match users based on various factors, such as who is currently online, their typical app usage times, their tendency to answer questions, and their expertise related to specific queries. For example, if someone asks, “Should I buy an Ibanez or a Gibson guitar?” the AI aims to match them with a user knowledgeable about musical instruments. When it comes to recommendation queries, the AI matches users based on the personal relevance of the response to the questioner.
The system incorporates an auto-generated dynamic database that identifies patterns in users’ discussions. Rather than relying on classic NLP methods and pre-indexed dictionaries, the engine learns from user behaviors, interests, knowledge, and usage patterns to make better connections with relevant queries. The new LLM-based Matchpoint AI also considers topic-related understanding, shared interests among users, and even “personal chemistry” when making matches.
Superfy claims that only 10% of posts are niche questions that aren’t answered promptly by real people. In these cases, the Superfy bot provides an automatic response while users await human input. The median time to receive the first response from a real person is approximately 20 seconds.
The app sends push notifications to users who are not online to encourage more responses. Although currently available only on iOS, Superfy has attracted 550,000 registered users, with 85,000 of them being monthly active users, primarily from a young, Gen Z audience in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. These users perceive Superfy as a unique platform where they can instantly connect with relevant people and discuss a wide range of topics.
Superfy’s founders anticipate expanding their user base beyond Gen Z in the future. Over time, the app has transformed from a platform for quick answers to a place where users engage in meaningful conversations with people who share their interests. Around 85% of Superfy’s users actively participate in asking and answering questions, driven by the app’s chat-like interface, precise AI matching, and personal user experience.
This interactive experience encourages more subjective answers, with users sharing their ideas, tips, recommendations, and support, rather than aiming for a single “correct” answer, as AI chatbots typically do. As a result, users spend an average of 31 minutes per day on the app, engaging in multiple chat sessions lasting approximately 160 seconds per session and participating in an average of 16 chats per day. In total, users exchange over 10.5 million messages each month.
Despite the challenging situation in Israel, the Superfy team is dedicated to continuing their work. The app is backed by $5 million in funding and an additional $1.5 million in grants from the Israeli Innovation Authority. The funding has been secured over three rounds, with the most recent in September 2022, and they are currently raising a post-seed round. Investors include friends and family, as well as private angel investors, including Alon Matas, founder and president of BetterHelp, and the founders of the Israeli casual gaming company Ilyon, which was acquired by Miniclip.
