Empathic

Empathic, founded in 2025 by engineers from Meta and Google, is a New York-based startup focused on enhancing human control over AI agents in software development.

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Empathic builds tools to help developers control and collaborate with AI agents in software development.

Empathic, founded in 2025 by engineers from Meta and Google, is a New York-based startup focused on enhancing human control over AI agents in software development. The company emerged from the recognition that traditional software practices are breaking down as AI agents accelerate productivity but introduce risks of technical debt and loss of control. Empathic’s tools aim to provide enforceable control, real-time collaboration, and full provenance for AI agent infrastructure, targeting teams navigating the complexities of AI-driven workflows.

The company’s flagship product, Clash, offers sandboxing for AI actions, allowing developers to control which tools an AI agent can access without compromising productivity. Empathic’s Workshop, still in development, focuses on collaborative AI-driven software engineering, enabling teams to work seamlessly with AI agents. The company operates in Flatiron, NYC, and is backed by a small but experienced team with expertise in enterprise AI infrastructure and distributed systems. Empathic’s approach addresses the growing gap between what AI agents can do and what humans can control, positioning itself as a critical player in the evolving landscape of AI-assisted software development.

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Who buys this

  • Software development teams integrating AI agents
  • Enterprise AI infrastructure teams
  • Distributed systems engineers
  • Human-centered product developers

Strengths and what to watch

Strengths

  • Experienced team with backgrounds at Meta and Google
  • Focus on enforceable control over AI agent actions
  • Early mover in AI agent collaboration tools

Watch for

  • Competition from larger AI infrastructure providers
  • Challenges in scaling collaboration features
  • Potential resistance from developers accustomed to traditional workflows

Key Information

Founded
2025
Headquarters
New York

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Empathic do?

Empathic builds tools to help developers control and collaborate with AI agents in software development. Founded in 2025, the company focuses on enhancing human control over AI agents, addressing risks like technical debt while maintaining productivity in AI-driven workflows.

What products does Empathic offer?

Empathic’s flagship product, Clash, provides sandboxing for AI agent actions, allowing developers to control tool access. Workshop, still in development, focuses on collaborative AI-driven software engineering, enabling teams to work seamlessly with AI agents while maintaining control and provenance.

Who uses Empathic’s tools?

Empathic’s tools target software development teams integrating AI agents, enterprise AI infrastructure teams, distributed systems engineers, and human-centered product developers. These groups benefit from enforceable control and collaboration features designed for complex AI-driven workflows.

What are Empathic’s strengths?

Empathic’s strengths include an experienced team with backgrounds at Meta and Google, a focus on enforceable control over AI agent actions, and being an early mover in AI agent collaboration tools. Their approach bridges the gap between AI capabilities and human control.

Where is Empathic based?

Empathic is headquartered in the Flatiron district of New York City. The company operates with a small but experienced team specializing in enterprise AI infrastructure and distributed systems, leveraging their expertise to develop innovative AI agent control tools.

What challenges does Empathic face?

Empathic faces competition from larger AI infrastructure providers, challenges in scaling collaboration features, and potential resistance from developers accustomed to traditional workflows. Overcoming these hurdles is critical for their growth in the evolving AI-assisted software development landscape.

Sources

  1. empathic.dev — Company overview and product details
  2. www.bloomberg.com — Context on AI in consumer tech
  3. techcrunch.com — General tech industry context
  4. news.medtronic.com — Financial reporting context