Simeon La Barrie’s career does not follow a traditional path. Born in Adelaide, Australia, his early life was marked by sport, responsibility, and independence.

He played Australian football, surfed, and spent much of his youth thinking about how things worked. That mindset was shaped early when he left school at 15 after his mother passed away, stepping up to help his father.

“You learn quickly when life doesn’t give you much room to wait,” La Barrie says. “I had to figure things out on my own.”

That early responsibility became a pattern. Instead of formal education, he learned by listening, observing, and testing ideas. His grandfather and father, both business-minded, influenced how he thought about work and persistence.

a Barrie describes himself as a self-taught developer and early AI pioneer. Working with a small team in the United States, he helped create what later became known as the “I Am There” technology. The idea was simple but ambitious. Allow people to interact, shop, and transact live through video, combining presence with payment.

As founder, CEO, and inventor, he continues to guide development through his company, KokuAI Live. The technology is designed for both online and physical retail, bridging the gap between digital interaction and real-world presence.

Today, Simeon La Barrie remains focused on bringing technology to market that connects people more directly. He avoids hype and prefers steady execution.