GPTZero is an AI-generated text detection platform built to help educators, journalists, and organizations verify whether content was written by a human or AI. Founded in early 2023 by Edward Tian and Alexander Cui, GPTZero emerged from a viral prototype developed over winter break while Tian was a student at Princeton University.

After its initial launch, the tool gained massive traction online—crashing servers with 30,000 users in a single day—and quickly evolved into a full-fledged company. Tian partnered with Cui, a researcher from the University of Toronto, to build GPTZero around a bold mission: “to preserve what is human in writing.” The team rapidly shipped new features including an AI Origin Chrome extension and a dashboard for educational institutions to manage AI content detection at scale.

Within months, GPTZero had attracted over a million users and raised a $3.5 million seed round led by Uncork Capital and Neo, alongside angels like Jack Altman and Emad Mostaque. By mid-2023, it had partnered with the American Federation of Teachers and was in use across thousands of schools. Its tools became essential in the education sector, where AI-generated assignments were becoming a growing concern.

In June 2024, the company closed a $10 million Series A led by Footwork VC, with continued backing from Reach Capital and Altman Capital. GPTZero reported being profitable and achieving a 5× increase in ARR in six months, with a pre-money valuation of approximately $50 million.

As of 2025, GPTZero serves over 4 million users and remains the most widely adopted AI-detection solution in education. While the platform has faced challenges—such as the potential for false positives or spoofing—it has continued to lead the category, especially after OpenAI discontinued its own detection tool due to low accuracy. GPTZero’s team has since focused on transparency, model improvements, and tools that empower users to trust what they read online.

GPTZero’s long-term vision is clear: to make AI transparency the default across education, media, and enterprise writing.