AskTuring.ai Closes Oversubscribed Funding Round Ahead of Fall Launch for Privacy-First Personal AI Platform
San Diego-based startup AskTuring.ai has successfully closed an oversubscribed funding round ahead of its fall launch, marking a key step in its mission to provide a secure, privacy-first AI platform tailored for small businesses and professionals. The company is positioning itself to meet a rising demand for AI solutions that prioritize user control over data, rather than relying on large language models (LLMs) to train on personal information. “There's a massive market opportunity for a general-purpose personal AI layer that puts users in control. We're creating the platform that makes AI work for you and protects your privacy,” said Guy Reams, AskTuring.ai’s Chief Operating Officer. The startup’s solution is designed to give users full ownership of their AI’s memory, knowledge, and capabilities, with the underlying language models never training on personal data. Unlike conventional AI tools that process data in the cloud, AskTuring.ai has developed the first platform in the market that allows users to privately manage and evolve their AI’s understanding of their unique needs. This is achieved through its proprietary, patented Semantic Retrieval Augmented Generation (SRAG) technology, which builds a persistent and growing knowledge base without compromising data privacy. “AskTuring is not just another AI tool,” said Neil Senturia, CEO and serial entrepreneur. “We're delivering what small businesses and professionals have been desperately seeking: a personal research platform that becomes your 'second brain' while giving you complete ownership of your data.” The platform addresses a key gap in the current AI landscape. While most tools are limited to specific functions such as note-taking or document management, AskTuring.ai offers a unified solution that integrates personal knowledge management, collaborative research, and intelligent document analysis—all with enterprise-grade SOC2 security. To support its growth, the company has expanded its leadership team, with Guy Reams joining as Chief Operating Officer. Reams brings experience in scaling software companies and shares the vision of creating a user-centric AI platform. Key features of the platform include complete data privacy and ownership, allowing users to process data locally and maintain control over their information. It also supports team collaboration through secure, shared knowledge bases, making it suitable for law firms, financial advisors, and other professional services. Additionally, the platform offers multi-modal intelligence, handling various data types such as documents, presentations, and emails to create a more comprehensive understanding. Unlike session-based AI tools, AskTuring.ai builds a persistent and evolving knowledge base that grows more valuable over time. Users can also choose from different AI models while maintaining a consistent personal knowledge base. Early adopters include law firms analyzing confidential documents, financial advisors managing sensitive client data, professional sports teams reviewing contracts, educational institutions, and journalists constructing research databases. The company will launch with a freemium model, offering limited document uploads to encourage adoption, with paid tiers providing expanded features such as higher document limits, more frequent re-indexing, additional AI model support, and advanced collaboration tools. The fall launch aligns with increasing consumer awareness of AI privacy issues and a growing demand for alternatives to cloud-based services that monetize user data. AskTuring.ai aims to redefine how professionals and small businesses interact with AI by offering a secure, personalized, and user-controlled experience.