Schmidt’s AI Video Platform, Hooglee, Nears Launch

Falls Church, Virginia, January 9, 2025 – Eric Schmidt has unveiled Hooglee, a new AI startup aiming to create a social media platform and AI video generator. His goal is to “democratize video creation with AI,” resulting in a platform resembling TikTok and positioning it as a potential competitor.

Currently, Hooglee’s website is a single-page landing site. The company’s stated mission is to “create innovative solutions that bring people together, simplify communication, and increase engagement.” Schmidt plans to partner with Sebastian Thrun, his collaborator on Google X and Waymo. Given Thrun’s involvement in Schmidt’s military startup, Eagle, their collaboration on Hooglee is highly likely. Schmidt has also recruited Meta researchers, including Bichen Wu, who is contributing to the development of a text-based video generator.

After a year of development and a significant investment exceeding $26 billion, Schmidt is ready to launch Hooglee, his first major personal AI project. This substantial investment suggests ambitious plans for the social media platform.