Alex Sambvani, our founder and CEO, has always been driven by two lifelong passions: food and technology. Growing up, he found joy cooking alongside his grandmother – an extraordinary home cook who showed him the power of hospitality: making people feel cared for through small, thoughtful details. Alex also discovered a parallel passion in technology , competing in–and ultimately winning–a global robotics competition in high school. That experience ignited his lifelong obsession with problem-solving through innovation.

Though he once dreamed of becoming a chef, Alex’s professional journey eventually led to technology when he joined Spotify as a data scientist. There, he worked alongside pioneering voice AI leaders, including early team members from Amazon Alexa. The experience opened his eyes to the untapped potential of voice technology to transform industries beyond consumer tech.

Living in New York – frequently experiencing issues contacting restaurants when going out with friends – Alex saw the glaring opportunity. Restaurants were losing money and damaging guest experiences every time a call went to voicemail or was missed entirely. He recognized this as a systemic problem: outdated phone systems, overwhelmed staff, and an industry forced to choose between delivering great in-person hospitality or answering ringing phones. Operators were stuck. Guests were frustrated. And valuable revenue was leaking out with every missed call. 

Recognizing an opportunity to blend his two great passions, Alex partnered with his former Spotify colleague Gabe to co-found Slang AI, a voice AI platform purpose-built to help full-service restaurants capture every guest interaction with warmth, speed, and precision. Unlike generic call centers or chatbots, Slang AI acts as an intelligent, fully customized AI host – answering calls 24/7, booking reservations, handling inquiries instantly, and intelligently routing high-value requests to the right staff. By recognizing returning guests and VIPs, it allows restaurants to elevate the personalized hospitality that keeps loyal customers coming back.

The stakes were too high to ignore: Every missed call wasn’t just lost revenue – it was a missed anniversary dinner, a frustrated private party coordinator, or a disappointed regular who might not return. At a time when restaurants face intense margin pressure and growing labor challenges, Slang AI gives operators a way to grow revenue and guest satisfaction without adding any burden to their teams. 

With Slang AI, restaurants experience immediate benefits: increased revenue from capturing every critical opportunity, happier guests who receive prompt and personalized attention, and empowered staff who can fully dedicate themselves to providing outstanding face-to-face service. Before Slang AI, restaurants regularly struggled with missed calls, overwhelmed staff, and frustrated guests. After implementing Slang AI, these challenges are replaced by streamlined operations, energized teams, and consistently delighted customers.

Today, Alex leads Slang AI with deep gratitude that he’s been able to fuse his lifelong passions – hospitality and technology – into a company that helps restaurants thrive, staff stay focused, and guests feel cared for at every touchpoint.