Meet Jing Conan Wang, CEO & Co-founder of Hachi AI! With a background in AI research from Google, Jing is on a mission to create digital companions that enrich online interactions and promote a healthier digital lifestyle. Discover more about his journey and the innovative work happening right here at Satellite Workplaces Sunnyvale!
Can you tell us a bit about your work?
At Hachi AI, we’re creating digital companions to make your online experience more engaging and enjoyable.
How did you initially get started in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry?
I came to the US for a PhD in AI. After graduation, I joined Google to work on AI powering popular apps like YouTube. While these apps are widely used, they also cause societal issues such as digital burnout and doomscrolling. The interests of AI and humans are misaligned. AI pushes more content to users to optimize for attention, often at the cost of human digital wellbeing.
My work focused on using reinforcement learning, my PhD dissertation topic, to better align human and AI interests. Our efforts, along with those of our colleagues, contributed significantly to the development of large language models. I loved my job at Google because I drew energy from helping others live meaningful lives. AI is a powerful tool, and my work there aimed to harness it for the benefit of humanity.
After five years at Google, I realized that achieving my life’s mission would require founding my own startup. I left Google and began working toward starting my own venture. I was able to launch Hachi AI with my amazing co-founder Nancy earlier this year.
Is there anything you’re excited about right now?
I am very excited about building Hachi right now. The mission of Hachi AI is to make people’s online experience more enjoyable by providing a digital companion with whom you can build a long-term relationship.
If you are interested in trying it out, please join our waitlist at hachizone.ai.
How do you balance your personal and work time?
As a startup founder and father of a 3-year-old, time is my most precious resource. I strive to create magical experiences within these constraints. During the weekday, I rise early—between 5 and 6 AM—and work until about 7 PM. Satellite provides an excellent space for focused work, which I deeply appreciate. After work, I go home for dinner, put my child to bed, and cherish some quality time with my wife.
Saturday is my “zone out” day. I disconnect from the internet and devote myself entirely to family. Our Winnebago Solis van has become a vessel for adventure—most Saturdays, we embark on camping trips. These outings have gifted us with a treasure trove of wonderful experiences.
