In a recent Forbes interview, Janet Ho, CEO of Hume AI, talked about her vision for creating AI systems that genuinely understand human expressions and emotions. As AI rapidly advances, Ho’s New York-based company is pioneering speech language models that combine voice and language capabilities.
“We train Foundation models that generate voice and language together,” Ho explained. “Our ultimate goal is to optimize AI for well-being. We are building what we like to call empathic AI.”
Hume AI’s technology generates appropriate tone, rhythm, and timbre based on the context and expressions of the user. This approach creates more natural interactions between humans and AI systems.
Unlike many tech founders, Ho didn’t follow a traditional computer science path. With a background in political science and brief stints in product management and venture capital, her journey to AI leadership happened organically. During the pandemic, she found herself helping a startup that eventually became Hume AI.
Ho describes her company’s mission as creating “the AI voice that people can trust.” Their models are designed to serve as high-EQ orchestrators, capable of calling other specialized AI systems while maintaining a human-like conversational interface.
When addressing potential ethical concerns around AI that mimics human interaction, Ho stressed Hume’s proactive approach: “At Hume we actually are pretty ahead of the curve on this. When we started the company, we started a sister nonprofit called the Hume Initiative, and it sets forth the only concrete guidelines for uses around empathic AI.”
These guidelines prohibit two specific categories of use: manipulation and deception. Ho believes this framework provides clarity when evaluating AI applications, particularly those involving emotional connections.
As AI voice technology continues to evolve, Ho sees Hume becoming “the de facto voice AI for all applications” — creating experiences where users can interact with technology that understands their preferences, supports their wellbeing, and genuinely enhances their lives.
