Experiencing a lockout from your work computer can be a frustrating and urgent situation, highlighting the need for prompt IT support. However, help desk staff often have a backlog of requests, resulting in significant delays before access is restored.

Andrei Serban, formerly a product lead on Rippling’s apps and integrations team, recognized the critical role of IT’s manual work. After Rippling acquired his startup Fuzzbuzz in 2023, Serban identified an opportunity to automate many basic help desk tasks using AI, including password resets, app access, and routine troubleshooting.

Serban was eager to bring his vision to life and left Rippling to found Console, a startup aimed at helping IT teams reduce mundane tasks and free up time for more strategic projects. Console’s mission is to assist IT teams in minimizing repetitive tasks, allowing help desk professionals to focus on more complex and sophisticated initiatives.

While automating help desk functions is not a new concept, Console differentiates itself from competitors, such as Moveworks, which was acquired by ServiceNow for $2.85 billion, by eliminating lengthy installation processes. Console’s AI assistant can be integrated with Slack in just a few weeks, making it quickly available to all company employees.

According to Serban, Console’s rapid deployment is possible because it doesn’t require replacing existing help desk systems. Instead, it positions itself as an AI co-worker that enhances the capabilities of current help desk professionals.

As companies increasingly digitize their operations, Console believes the IT function will become even more vital. The startup’s AI agent responds to employee requests on Slack, leveraging its knowledge of user-specific information, such as laptop models and authorized applications. Console’s AI can resolve over 50% of tasks independently and escalates complex issues to IT staff when necessary.

The speedy installation process has attracted clients, including Scale AI, Flock Safety, and Calendly, demonstrating the demand for Console’s innovative solution.

These customer wins have enabled Console to secure $6.2 million in seed funding from Thrive Capital, a firm that has backed leading AI companies like OpenAI, Cursor, and Scale AI.

Vince Hankes, a partner at Thrive, noted that the firm has long recognized the potential of artificial intelligence in assisting with IT tasks, dating back to the release of ChatGPT in 2022. While Console’s quick integration might make it seem easily replaceable, Hankes believes its AI technology will rapidly improve with user adoption, becoming an indispensable system for customers.

Console’s long-term goal is to expand its support to other functions, including answering employee inquiries about HR, finance, and legal matters.

Ultimately, Serban envisions Console as the primary point of contact for employees seeking help, providing a seamless and efficient support experience.