AI
Behind Martin: Building an AI assistant from the ground up
Martin’s developers genuinely care about your experience—how you use it, what you gain from it, and how it fits into your daily routine.
Welcome to Behind the Build, KnowTechie’s exclusive interview series showcasing the real stories behind tomorrow’s tech. Every edition goes beyond the surface, uncovering the journeys, challenges, and creative sparks that drive today’s founders and their products. Dive in to see how the tech shaping tomorrow comes to life—one bold idea at a time.
We featured Martin, an ambitious AI personal assistant, on KnowTechie a few months ago. Since then, Martin has quietly evolved behind the scenes.
This curiosity led me to my recent conversation with Dawson Chen, Martin’s co-founder. While Martin is a new contender in the crowded digital assistant space, its distinction lies in its capabilities and the philosophy and intent behind its development.
Unlike the soulless copycats out there, Martin’s creators actually care about how you use it, what you get out of it, and how it fits into your life. It’s not just about answering questions; it’s about doing things smarter, faster, and with more personality.
Watch the video here or via the YouTube embed below. Keep reading to see how Martin sets itself apart and why the team believes this AI can actually make your life easier, not just noisier.
Behind the Build, Featuring Dawson Chen, Martin Co-Founder
Young, Scrappy, and Driven
Martin wasn’t built by a Silicon Valley giant. Instead, it’s the creation of two college dropouts—Dawson Chen and his cofounder, Ethan—who left school not for a lucrative acquisition, but because they deeply believed in their vision.
When I asked about their decision, Dawson was candid: in the early days, friends were skeptical, and the first iteration of Martin was, in his words, “way worse than Siri.” Still, they continued refining the product, learning from each setback.
Both founders worked alone at one point, barely making ends meet in San Francisco and contending with negative user growth.
Progress only began when they joined forces. Their journey hasn’t been a straight path to success; it’s involved repeated pivots, setbacks, and countless late-night coding sessions.
Focused on Solving Real Problems
It’s tempting to see AI assistants as just “cool tech,” but Dawson’s motivation is personal. Having built apps since middle school, he’s always looked for ways to simplify life.
The idea for Martin stemmed from ongoing frustration: most assistants overpromise and underdeliver. As a result, the team prioritized reliability and genuine utility, solving actual user problems rather than just adding flashy features.
For an overview of features and examples of what Martin can do—including managing calendars, emails, reminders, phone calls, texts, and integrating with tools like Slack—visit the official Martin documentation.
Committed to Transparency and Trust
Building an assistant that manages your email, calendar, and reminders raises significant privacy concerns.
Dawson addressed these concerns directly: Martin is engineered to access only the information necessary for each task, keeping accounts and data isolated unless a user decides otherwise.
“We implement best practices,” Dawson told me, citing everything from regulatory compliance to transparent user feedback loops.
Maintaining User Connection
One of the most surprising aspects: Martin’s team is relentless about feedback. If you report an issue, it quickly reaches the founders—often resulting in a response the same day.
They’ve established channels for direct contact through the app and maintain a running list of user requests. At this stage, the app evolves rapidly and is shaped significantly by user involvement.
Looking Ahead
Martin remains a work in progress. Features such as background tasks and phone call abilities are in their infancy, but the ambition is clear: to build something that truly functions as a real assistant—perhaps even “Jarvis for everyone.”
Dawson admits there’s work to do, but it’s evident that the journey itself is central.
If you’re curious, you can try Martin at trymartin.com or review its documentation. Or just follow along—the real story is still unfolding.
Sometimes, the most intriguing technology is less about the features and more about the people who have the passion and audacity to build it.
What are your thoughts on the rise of AI personal assistants like Martin? Do you believe they can truly make life easier, or do you have concerns about privacy and utility? Let us know in the comments below!
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