desktop automation AI News & Updates
Simular Raises $21.5M for Desktop AI Agent with Novel Neuro-Symbolic Approach
Simular, an AI agent startup founded by ex-Google DeepMind researchers, has raised $21.5M Series A to develop autonomous agents that control Mac OS and Windows PCs directly rather than just browsers. The company uses a "neuro-symbolic" approach where agents explore tasks freely until successful, then convert the workflow into deterministic code to prevent hallucinations in repeated executions. Simular has released version 1.0 for Mac and is part of Microsoft's Windows 365 for Agents program.
Skynet Chance (+0.04%): Direct PC control agents with autonomous operation capabilities increase potential loss-of-control risks, though the human-in-the-loop verification and deterministic code conversion approach provides some alignment safeguards. The expansion of agentic AI into operating system-level control represents a meaningful step toward more autonomous AI systems.
Skynet Date (-1 days): The $21.5M funding and Microsoft partnership accelerate deployment of autonomous agents with direct system access, though the focus on deterministic workflows and human oversight may slightly moderate the pace of fully autonomous development. The commercialization timeline suggests near-term deployment of powerful agentic systems.
AGI Progress (+0.03%): The neuro-symbolic approach combining LLM creativity with deterministic code generation addresses a fundamental AGI challenge (reliability and hallucination mitigation) while enabling complex multi-step task completion. This represents meaningful architectural progress toward more capable and trustworthy autonomous systems beyond pure LLM approaches.
AGI Date (-1 days): The commercial deployment of sophisticated agents capable of complex multi-step reasoning and system-level control, backed by significant funding and major tech partnerships, accelerates practical AGI development timelines. The involvement of DeepMind alumni and integration into Microsoft's ecosystem suggests rapid capability scaling.