While everyone is talking about xAI and Perplexity, there was another startup that has been working around elections and polling for quite some time. The world of political polling has struggled in recent years, with traditional surveys frequently falling short in high-stakes races. The 2016 U.S. election highlighted the limitations of current polling methods, leaving many in search of a more reliable alternative. Aaru: a small, AI-driven startup founded by three teenagers with a bold ambition to change how we predict election outcomes. Unlike conventional pollsters, Aaru uses a novel approach: thousands of AI-powered bots that simulate real voter behavior, offering a quicker, more cost-effective way to gauge public opinion.
From Teen Tech Enthusiasts to Polling Innovators
The founders behind Aaru—19-year-olds Cameron Fink and Ned Koh, and 15-year-old John Kessler—might not seem like the typical architects of a polling revolution. Fink and Koh, both college dropouts, partnered with high school sophomore Kessler to launch Aaru. Initially, they chose to keep a low profile, wary of the perception that “teenagers were meddling in elections.” Yet their determination and technical skill quickly garnered attention in the political landscape.
Aaru’s breakthrough came when their bot-based prediction model correctly forecasted the result of a recent election with remarkable precision. Instead of relying on outdated polling techniques, Aaru’s model employs “agents” (their term for bots) that simulate thousands of voters based on demographic data and an extensive set of personality traits. This innovative system allowed Aaru to predict an election outcome with a margin of error of just 371 votes, cementing their credibility and proving the potential of AI-driven polling.
