Tuesday · October 20, 2026

 ·  Daily  ·  Newsletters

Resonance network: Quantum InsiderSpace Insider

IrisGo Raises $2.8M From Andrew Ng to Build a Proactive AI Desktop Agent That Learns Your Workflows

IrisGo, a desktop AI agent that observes and automates user workflows without repeat instructions, has raised a $2.8 million seed round led by Andrew Ng’s AI Fund, with backing from Nvidia and Google. The company was co-founded by Jeffrey Lai, a former Apple engineer who helped build the Chinese-language version of Siri.

The platform watches a user complete a task once — placing a coffee order, processing an invoice, drafting an email — then automates it autonomously going forward. A built-in skills library covers common knowledge-worker tasks, while the agent continuously learns new workflows from observed desktop behaviour. A coding assistant comparable to Claude Code is also included.

Lai said the goal was to shift knowledge workers away from repetitive manual AI interactions toward fully autonomous background workflows, freeing humans for higher-level work. A hybrid on-device and cloud architecture gives the platform stronger privacy protections than purely cloud-based alternatives, with cloud processing requiring explicit user authorisation.

IrisGo has launched beta versions for macOS and Windows, secured a preinstallation deal with Acer, and is pursuing similar agreements with other device manufacturers.

Featured image: Credit: IrisGo

James Dargan
About the author
James Dargan

James Dargan is a writer and researcher at The AI Insider. His focus is on the AI startup ecosystem and he writes articles on the space that have a tone accessible to the average reader.

Trending today

teal LED panel
Policy & Government · AI Safety

AI Risk Management in Finance: Key Lessons From the FSB’s New Report on Responsible AI

A metallic blue infinity symbol surrounded by floating social media and technology icons
Business & Markets · Enterprise

Meta Drops Commercial Terms Language That Sparked AI Training and Scraping Concerns

ai quantum
Technology & Infrastructure · Applications & agents

Anthropic’s Claude Designs More Efficient Quantum Circuits With Automated Feedback

Physical AI · Defence & Autonomous Systems

Defense Physical AI Roundup: Pentagon Writing Checks for Autonomous Systems, Drones & AI-Piloted Aircraft, Plus Latest in UGV Systems

Business & Markets

Waymo Plans Toronto Robotaxi Launch in 2028

The AI economy, every weekday morning

The daily briefing on LinkedIn. Free, one tap to follow.

Exclusives

Exclusive

South Korea’s AI G3 Strategy: Decoded

Scale-ups to Watch

10 Switzerland-Based AI Scale-Ups You Need to Know in 2026

network, blockchain, digital, hand, web, community, artificial, intelligence, steering, interfaces, bokeh, future, digitization, transformation, change, blockchain, blockchain, blockchain, blockchain, blockchain, transformation
Exclusive

Why Crypto Could Be AI’s Payment Layer: BlackRock Sees Stablecoins Connecting Commerce and Compute

AI Predictions
Exclusive

Why AI Predictions Often Get The Technology Right But The Timeline Wrong

Scale-ups to Watch

10 CEE & Baltics-Based AI Scale-Ups You Need to Know in 2026

More in Business & Markets

Latest from the same section
Technology & Infrastructure · Models & LLMs

Skyfall AI Unveils Frontier Engineering World Model SKY-001

7 hours ago
Business & Markets · Startups

Dream Labs Raises $90M in Seed Funding to Build Foundation Models for Any Robot

9 hours ago
Business & Markets · Startups

Canada’s Promise Robotics Signs Multi-Year Deal With US Homebuilder DR Horton for Robotic Homebuilding

2 days ago
Physical AI · Humanoids

Japan’s Shimizu Invests in Noble Machines to Develop Humanoid Robots for Construction

3 days ago

The AI economy, every weekday morning

The daily briefing plus the weekly Scale-ups to watch edition. Free, no spam, unsubscribe any time.