Ami, a free mobile app offering immersive audio-based city tours, officially launches on June 30, with Paris as its first featured city. Two former TikTok employees created the app, which blends cinematic storytelling with GPS-triggered narration to create guided walking experiences designed for AirPods, not screens.
Based in New York and originally founded under the name Routes AI, Ami was built by a small team of former social media and tech professionals aiming to rethink how people explore cities. The company focuses on blending immersive storytelling with everyday tech like smartphones and earbuds to make cultural experiences more accessible. Since its rebrand, Ami has positioned itself as a travel-tech startup focused on screen-free, self-guided discovery.
The app simplifies city exploration by using GPS to guide users through narrated walking tours. As they move through neighborhoods, listeners hear local history, hidden details, and stories curated by professional guides. The format lets users explore on their own schedule, while helping local guides reach more people without limiting themselves to in-person bookings.
"It takes all the guesswork out of experiencing a new city for the first time," the company wrote in an email. "Ami is an immersive travel app that lets you experience the stories, history, and hidden gems of a private tour—without ever feeling like a tourist...and it takes all the time-consuming research out of visiting and experiencing a new city."
Ami Hits 50K Downloads Ahead of Global Launch
Since its beta release in February, Hall shared that Ami has gained over 50,000 downloads and now averages more than 1,000 tours per week. According to internal metrics, 63% of users return for multiple tours, with a median session lasting 51 minutes. The app currently supports four languages and will expand to more than 20 at launch, including Japanese, Portuguese, Hindi, Arabic, and Russian.
Ami's curated tour library includes themes ranging from art and architecture to food and suspense. Notably, one of its Paris offerings—Le Walk—is led by the same guide who previously toured European cities with Prince Harry. The app now offers access to this and much more at no cost, rather than booking months in advance at premium rates.
The startup began under the name Routes AI and rebranded to Ami ahead of launch. All tours are currently available on iOS, and the team plans to add Android support in future updates.
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