Ghost Launches $3,499 Personal AI Computer After $11M Seed Round
Ghost has raised an $11 million seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz as it launches Core, a $3,499 computer designed to run personal AI agents. Founder Zain…
At 19, Zain Javaid has shifted from quantitative investing to building a computer for personal AI. His startup, Ghost, emerged from stealth on Monday with an $11 million ghost seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz and a first product priced at $3,499.
The launch puts a dedicated AI computer on the market as a costly alternative to configuring a general-purpose machine for AI tools. Ghost says its Core device is designed to run AI agents continuously, while keeping models and personal memory on the hardware.
Core is built to centralize information from a user’s desktop, apps and smart-home devices so AI agents can act as assistants and perform tasks. “You can run models on existing hardware, but it’s a terrible experience on many levels,” Javaid, Ghost’s chief executive, told TechCrunch.
The company said preorders for the first batch open Monday, with shipping scheduled for the last week of October. Ghost’s founding team also includes Nicholas Chua, 19, Yifei Chen, 24, and Gautam Sharda, 23.
What Ghost says the device does differently
Core includes an Nvidia RTX Pro 4000 SFF Blackwell GPU, which Javaid described as a chip commonly used to run AI models. The GPU is included in the device’s price, he said, so customers do not need to purchase one separately.
Ghost says the computer has its own software layer, browser and filing system. It can process information and tasks continuously without requiring users to prompt it each time. Users access the screenless device through a phone or an app; voice mode works through the Core app, not by speaking directly to the computer.
Three models come preinstalled: Qwen-3.8-Next, Qwen-3.8-27B and Gemma-4-31B. Users can also install models from Hugging Face or load models they have trained themselves, Javaid said.
He contrasted Core with Apple’s Mac Mini, which can be configured to run AI tools but is a general-purpose computer. Ghost, he said, designed Core’s hardware and software specifically for AI agents and installed models before shipping.
The distinction matters to buyers weighing a dedicated machine against adapting equipment they already own. Core’s $3,499 price includes its GPU, but the company’s pitch also rests on simpler setup and a system intended to keep running agents without constant user input.
Local processing and control
Javaid said models and personal memory run locally on the device, and that personal information is encrypted so no cloud provider or third party, including Ghost, can meaningfully access it. Users can set how much autonomy they grant their agents.
Ghost is also developing a firewall to restrict how an agent uses credentials such as logins and passwords. The company builds the units at its San Francisco facility, and Javaid said the device is programmed to keep working if Ghost shuts down.
“All of the source code, logic, and model weights live on the device, not the services,” he said. “We build this device to not be dependent on having an outside entity maintaining the service.”
Ghost says it can send software updates over the air as models improve, and users can choose whether to switch to a newer model or enable automatic updates. The company raised $11 million in a seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz, with Abstract, Audacious Ventures, SV Angel and Nova also participating.
Source: techcrunch.com
