Ex-ByteDance Exec Dr. Xi Zeng Raises $3M for Chance AI, Betting Cameras Surpass Chatbots in Visual AI Revolution

Chance AI, a pioneering visual AI startup founded by former ByteDance executive Dr. Xi Zeng, has raised US$3 million to pioneer camera-centric AI software.

The funding underscores Zeng's bold conviction that vision-powered AI will eclipse text-based chatbots in real-world utility and intuitiveness.

From ByteDance AI Lab to Startup Visionary

Dr. Xi Zeng, previously Senior Director at ByteDance AI Lab, OnePlus, and OPPO, leverages his expertise in AI and product design to lead Chance AI.

His tenure at TikTok honed skills in visual content, inspiring a shift from reactive chatbots to proactive visual agents.

Vision Trumps Text: The Strategic Bet

Zeng asserts that "the future of AI will see before it speaks," highlighting cameras' superiority in capturing nuanced real-world contexts.

Unlike chatbots confined to linguistic data, Chance AI's technology enables seamless visual reasoning and interaction.

Historical Context and Broader Impact

The move mirrors AI's evolution from narrow text models to multimodal systems, echoing human reliance on vision for 80% of perception.

In industries like AR, robotics, and e-commerce, camera AI promises unprecedented accuracy and user engagement.

The seed round will fuel development of Curiosity Lens, Chance AI's flagship visual agent already gaining traction post-Product Hunt launch.

Future Outlook and Global Ambitions

With expansion into high-growth markets like India, Chance AI positions itself at the forefront of visual intelligence innovation.

This investment signals investor confidence in vision AI amid chatbot saturation, potentially reshaping human-AI interfaces worldwide.