Exa, an AI research lab, has announced $22 million in seed and Series A funding led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, with contributions from NVentures and Y Combinator, to develop a search engine tailored for AI applications. Unlike traditional search engines optimized for human interaction, Exa utilizes embedding models to convert web pages into numerical data, enhancing the precision and depth of search results for AI. This approach allows AI to efficiently retrieve relevant information, thus serving as a critical data layer for AI systems. The company, co-founded by Will Bryk, has already seen rapid adoption by various companies and developers, with its revenue tripling recently. Exa’s mission is to organize the world's knowledge, facilitating AI applications across diverse industries, and it is supported by a vision to redefine how AI leverages information, backed by Lightspeed's investment in disruptive innovations.