Melbourne's AI receptionist start-up Phonely receives $500,000 investment from Y Combinator and aims to improve customer service through AI.

Melbourne's Phonely, an AI receptionist start-up, has been selected for the Y Combinator program, receiving a $US500,000 ($750,000) investment, mentoring, and connections. Co-founded by Stephan Bodewes and Aleksandar Savic, Phonely aims to improve businesses' customer service and reduce costs using AI technology. However, its launch raises concerns about potential job losses in human workforces.