WaveForms AI, a startup founded by ex-OpenAI researcher Alexis Conneau, has secured $40 million in funding from Andreessen Horowitz, valuing the company at $200 million. The firm aims to enhance AI audio software to improve emotional recognition and facilitate more natural conversations with machines. Conneau, who previously developed OpenAI's advanced voice mode, launched WaveForms in September, shortly after OpenAI introduced its voice assistant to paid ChatGPT users.