For over 15 years, my co-founders and I have been working toward one of technology's most ambitious goals: building a true Artificial Mind.

At Mind Simulation Lab (MSL), we took a different path from the mainstream AI industry. Rather than relying solely on massive scale and raw compute power, we pursued an engineering-first approach — designing cognitive architectures from the ground up.

That work produced Embryo, our core AGI architecture. We built it to be modular, transparent, highly scalable, and structurally more reliable than conventional generative systems. We don’t just train models; we engineer minds.

As an expert in AI behavior, cognitive architecture, and enterprise integration, I regularly share insights on the future of AGI and the fundamental shifts in the tech landscape.

Areas of Expertise (For Press Inquiries):

• The path to AGI: Engineering vs. Raw Compute
• Cognitive AI Architectures & System Reliability
• Generative AI Behavior, Hallucinations, and Safety (System Prompts)
• Bootstrapping DeepTech startups and balancing research with commercial success

Latest Selected Media Mentions:

The "Living Geralt" Prototype

We deeply believe that AI must move beyond static chat responses and function as coherent, interactive entities inside digital worlds. Our first public proof of concept was a viral demo: a "living Geralt" inspired by The Witcher 3. Building that demo required more than just an intelligence layer. To bring it to life, we had to create a complete voice and interface ecosystem around it.

STEOS: The Product Surface

That custom interface eventually evolved into STEOS. Today, STEOS is a profitable, fully bootstrapped platform empowering more than 2 million users across 40 countries. What began as an internal necessity for our AGI experiments has grown into a global ecosystem for AI-powered content creation. Most importantly, STEOS serves as the commercial engine that funds and accelerates our deeper, fundamental AGI research without outside pressure.

Leo Derikiants is the Co-founder and CEO of Mind Simulation Lab, a deep-tech company pioneering an engineering-first approach to Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). He is also the creator of STEOS, a bootstrapped AI platform with over 2 million users globally that funds MSL's fundamental cognitive research.

For over 15 years, Leo Derikiants and his co-founders have pursued one of technology's ultimate frontiers: building a true Artificial Mind. As the CEO of Mind Simulation Lab (MSL), Leo champions an engineering-first approach to AGI, moving beyond the industry's reliance on raw compute. His team developed Embryo, a modular and transparent cognitive architecture designed for structural reliability.

Following a viral proof-of-concept demo featuring an interactive AI entity inside The Witcher 3, Leo spearheaded the creation of STEOS. Today, STEOS is a profitable, bootstrapped AI ecosystem serving over 2 million users across 40 countries. By merging commercial success with fundamental research, Leo has created a self-sustaining engine for AGI development. A recognized expert in AI behavior and architecture, he is frequently quoted in top-tier business and tech publications, including Fortune.

Whether you are a journalist looking for expert commentary on the AI industry, or a potential enterprise partner, feel free to reach out.

• Press & Speaking Inquiries: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• LinkedIn: Connect with Leo Derikiants