Chicago, Aug. 9, 2019: Groupon has acquired Presence AI –– an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered text and voice communications tool that enables and facilitates messaging between customers and merchants. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
A press release by Groupon said the company had increased bookable inventory 12 percent year over year, and booked tens of millions of diners, concert goers, spa visitors and more in 2018. As the company transitions towards universal bookability for certain services, Presence AI’s technology will provide merchants with the capabilities to support this booking vision.
Presence AI was founded in 2015 in San Francisco, and operates in the health, beauty and wellness space, which is one of Groupon’s largest categories. The company already has a number of key integrations with popular booking software providers.
Presence AI was backed by the Amazon Alexa Fund and participated in the 2018 Alexa Accelerator, powered by Techstars, which supports early-stage startups using voice to deliver transformative customer and business experiences.
Image Credit: Groupon