NeoCognition raises $40M to build AI agents that master new skills like human experts

NeoCognition, a startup founded by an Ohio State University researcher, secured $40 million in seed funding to develop AI agents (self-directed AI systems that can plan and execute tasks) capable of learning to become experts across different industries and domains.

Unlike current AI assistants that follow pre-written instructions, NeoCognition's agents learn from experience and adapt their approach — similar to how a human specialist improves through practice — rather than relying on fixed rules or human intervention for each new task.

For business teams, this could reduce the need to hire or train specialists for repetitive expert work: financial analysts, legal researchers, technical support staff, or domain-specific consultants could be partially replaced by AI agents that continuously improve as they handle more cases in that field.