Science & Tech · Big Tech & Internet · 2 hrs ago
Gudea uses AI to help organizations detect online crises early
Gudea uses AI to track how online stories spread across social media and websites, aiming to warn organizations before a rumor or other post becomes a crisis.
The company presented its approach at the Startup Battlefield stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026.
Unlike tools that mainly count mentions and impressions, Gudea analyzes who is driving a conversation and how it moves across more than 500 websites and platforms, including X, Reddit and TikTok.
The company grew out of work by a nonprofit established after the 2020 election, which sought to identify and disrupt online information campaigns.
Gudea now has nearly 40 clients, including companies, communications agencies and government agencies.
Its founder says generative AI makes it easier to produce content and coordinate online campaigns, and Gudea aims to expand its customer base.
Gudea uses AI to help organizations understand how online stories and rumors spread and identify potential crises early.
Its system analyzes behavior, relationships and information pathways across more than 500 websites and platforms.
The company says its approach provides context that traditional social listening tools, which track metrics such as mentions and impressions, may not show.
Gudea pitched its service at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026.
Founded in 2023, the company has nearly 40 clients, according to the article.
- Who
- Gudea, founded by Keith Presley, Jonathan Sperber and James Thomin.
- What
- The company uses AI to help organizations track how online conversations spread and spot potential crises.
- When
- Gudea was founded in 2023. It pitched its mission at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026.
- Where
- The pitch took place on the Startup Battlefield stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. Its system tracks more than 500 websites and platforms.
- Why
- Gudea aims to help organizations understand emerging online narratives and decide how to protect their reputations and brands.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The team began the George Washington Initiative, a nonprofit that applied intelligence-community tactics to domestic information campaigns.
Presley said the team first saw the issue that motivated its work around this time.
Gudea was founded by Keith Presley, Jonathan Sperber and James Thomin.
Gudea pitched its mission on the Startup Battlefield stage.
- Founded
- 2023
- Founders
- Keith Presley, Jonathan Sperber and James Thomin
- Platforms tracked
- More than 500 websites and platforms
- Clients
- Nearly 40
- Pitch venue
- Startup Battlefield stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026
What people are saying
These big industries don’t understand that there are things they can do proactively to defend their reputation and their brand.
A lot of the chief communications officers and chief media or marketing officers, they’re using legacy tools to try to figure out what’s happening.
We’re one of those weird startups where I never wanted to do a company.