Soul Machines
- Open roles
- 0
- Founded
- 2016
- Employees
- 11-50
- Offices
- 5
About Soul Machines
Soul Machines develops AI avatars and autonomously animated digital humans for conversational and experiential applications. Founded in Auckland in 2016 by Dr. Mark Sagar and Greg Cross, the business emerged from the University of Auckland’s Laboratory for Animate Technologies. Its work combines computer animation, cognitive modeling and artificial intelligence to create interactive characters that respond to people in real time.
The company’s Digital People pair large language models and cognitive architectures with its patented Digital Brain and Autonomous Animation technologies. These systems use biologically inspired neural models to support perception, listening, facial expression and simulated emotional responses. The resulting characters are designed to participate dynamically in conversations, with animation and behavior responding to the interaction as it unfolds.
Products and applications
Soul Machines offers custom digital person creation, digital workforce deployment, digital twins and AI assistants. Its product offering includes JustTalk and the Soul Machines Studio developer sandbox. Enterprise integrations connect its technology with systems including ServiceNow, Salesforce and Zapier, supporting deployment within existing business workflows.
Applications span customer service, healthcare, banking, automotive experiences, retail, telecommunications, education and entertainment. Projects described in the company’s history include digital health workers, banking assistants, travel concierges, virtual patients and interactive celebrity twins. This range reflects a business serving both enterprise interactions and character-based audience experiences, with bespoke digital humans developed for particular client needs.
Company development
After expanding internationally during its venture-backed growth, Soul Machines underwent substantial restructuring. Its New Zealand operating entity entered receivership in February 2026, followed by AppDirect’s acquisition of the business and assets on September 28, 2026.
Under AppDirect, Soul Machines continues as a standalone business, retaining engineering activity in Auckland and commercial leadership in San Francisco. Its avatar platform is being incorporated into AppDirect’s enterprise commerce offering and Devs.ai ecosystem, connecting its conversational characters with a broader enterprise AI distribution and application development platform.
More about Soul Machines
Funding history
Between 2016 and 2022, the company raised over US$135 million across multiple funding rounds. Investors included Horizons Ventures, Temasek, Salesforce Ventures, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Lakestar and Mercedes-Benz.
Founder milestones
Greg Cross departed in late 2023, and Mark Sagar stepped down from directorship in 2024. The research identifies Sagar as a two-time Academy Award winner; this recognition belongs to him individually.
Commercial challenges
The research describes heavy computational overhead, costly bespoke implementations and enterprise client retention difficulties during the company's independent growth period. Some major enterprise pilots were discontinued or brought in-house by clients, contributing to financial pressure before restructuring.
Notable credits
7 creditsOffices
Current and former locations of Soul Machines
- Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo office
- Level 1, 106 Customs Street West, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010, New ZealandAuckland, New Zealand
Auckland office
Founding headquarters and current research, development and engineering hub.
- London, England, United Kingdom
London office
- New York, United States
New York office
- 44 Tehama Street, Suite 411, San Francisco, CA 94105, USASan Francisco, California, United States
San Francisco office
About this office
Executive, commercial and North American corporate headquarters for Soul Machines, Inc. The report describes the company's headquarters presence as shared between San Francisco and Auckland.
- Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Melbourne office
Former officeClosed 2025
About this office
Former Australian branch operated through Soul Machines Pty Ltd; the report links termination of office operations to cancellation of its ABN on November 11, 2025.
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