Artificial intelligence is rapidly moving beyond chatbots and copilots. The next wave of enterprise AI is focused on agents that can operate software, complete digital workflows, and automate repetitive business tasks with minimal human intervention.
Prentis, a newly launched AI research lab co-founded by Ritankar Das, Reid Hoffman, and Mark Pincus, is reportedly in discussions to raise $100 million at a $1 billion valuation. The funding would support the company’s mission to build AI agents capable of using computers much like human employees.
Building AI That Can Operate Business Software
Founded in April, Prentis is developing computer-use AI models that learn how employees interact with documents, applications, and enterprise systems. Rather than simply answering questions, the company’s AI is designed to complete real business tasks across multiple platforms.
Potential use cases include processing insurance claims, managing customs documentation, and handling other administrative workflows that typically require employees to switch between several systems.
Early Enterprise Momentum
Despite being a young company, Prentis has already secured customer agreements reportedly worth up to $50 million. Its early customers span industries including healthcare, manufacturing, and consumer goods.
The company also projects strong growth as enterprises continue investing in workflow automation powered by artificial intelligence.
Competing in the Computer-Use AI Race
Prentis says its Hive-32B model delivers strong performance on computer-use benchmarks while operating at a significantly lower cost than larger frontier AI models. Its strategy centers on making enterprise AI both practical and cost-efficient for large-scale deployment.
The company enters an increasingly competitive market alongside OpenAI, Anthropic, and Thinking Machines Lab, all of which are investing heavily in AI agents capable of interacting directly with software applications.
Experienced Founders Driving Growth
CEO Ritankar Das previously founded Titan, a venture studio responsible for launching several AI-focused healthcare companies. His entrepreneurial background is complemented by co-founders Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn co-founder and investor, and Mark Pincus, founder of Zynga.
Prentis has also recruited researchers from organizations including OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Meta, Tencent, and Alibaba, strengthening its expertise in AI model development.
The Next Step for Enterprise Automation
As organizations increasingly seek AI systems that can perform work instead of simply assisting employees, computer-use AI is emerging as one of the industry’s fastest-growing categories.
If the funding round is completed, Prentis will be well positioned to accelerate development and compete in the rapidly expanding market for enterprise AI agents.