Startup Behind AI William Shatner Files for Bankruptcy

The startup that transformed William Shatner into a conversational AI chatbot has filed for bankruptcy.

Founded in 2017, StoryFile developed an AI-powered platform that turns humans into conversational chatbots.

The startup, which Shatner part-owns, voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 protection in the Southern District of New York.

StoryFile's filing indicates funds will be allocated to unsecured creditors, ensuring there will be sufficient value generated from asset liquidation or debt restructuring to pay them.

The company has reported assets of $100K to $500K and liabilities of between $1 million to $10 million.

StoryFile had raised $9.5 million and long teased a series A round but that never came to fruition.

Owen Phillips, spokesperson for StoryFile, told AI Business the company would continue to operate and honor all its existing customer and deliverable obligations.

“The company is working with its creditors and all interested parties to emerge from bankruptcy protection as quickly as possible as a recapitalized, reorganized and more viable company to continue its trailblazing mission for authentic conversational video as an innovative leader in conversational AI,” Phillips said.

StoryFile’s Conversa AI platform is used by Fortune 500 companies to create conversational interfaces.

Related:William Shatner Beamed into Conversational Video from StoryFile

The startup also touted its technology as a way to keep loved ones alive after they passed.

Shatner was immortalized by StoryFile in October 2021 after being filmed over five days, answering questions. The Shatner-bot, which is still active today, enables users to type or use their voice to ask questions and the Captain Kirk actor will answer questions.

“I recorded this so my children’s children can get to know me — you just press record yourself on any computer or phone and you or your loved ones’ stories become a living record,” Shatner said at the time.

StoryFile would later create similar interactive chatbots for holocaust survivors in collaboration with the Illinois Holocaust Museum

Only last month, StoryFile developed an interactive experience for the National WWII Museum where visitors could interact with conversational chatbots of veterans and home front workers.

A visitor to the Voices from the Front exhibit at the National WWII Museum converses with a Holocaust survivor | Credit: Cole Kawana/StoryFile