WaveForms AI, a recently launched startup founded by Alexis Conneau, a former OpenAI researcher, has raised $40 million in funding from Andreessen Horowitz. This funding round values the company at $200 million.

WaveForms aims to improve spoken interactions between humans and machines by developing AI audio software that can detect emotional cues, enabling more natural conversations. Conneau, who played a key role in creating OpenAI's advanced voice assistant, left the company in August to establish WaveForms in San Francisco.

The startup is part of a growing trend in the AI sector, focusing on developing voice capabilities that are more human-like. This technology is expected to enhance the functionality of digital assistants and customer service agents, among other applications.