Generative AI is propelling the evolution of content creation, from videos to images and text. A surge of interest from both tech giants and innovative startups has spurred the development of AI-powered chatbots, text-to-image generators, and video tools worldwide.
Irreverent Labs, a dynamic startup situated in Bellevue, Washington, is at the forefront of this AI revolution. Their cutting-edge AI technology empowers individuals to craft videos effortlessly, a trend that has garnered substantial investment. The latest funding round was spearheaded by Samsung Next, although the exact amount remains undisclosed due to Samsung’s corporate policy.
This isn’t the first financial boost for Irreverent Labs, established in 2021. The startup secured a noteworthy $45 million in funding last year, led by venture capital powerhouse Andreessen Horowitz. Initially recognized for their blockchain endeavors, particularly a novel robot combat game named MechaFightClub incorporating non-fungible tokens (NFTs), Irreverent Labs has since pivoted. They assert that the game functioned as a showcase for a substantial machine learning model, set to empower users to craft videos using diverse inputs—ranging from images to text to audio—scheduled for later this year.
Rahul Sood, Irreverent Labs’ Co-founder and CEO, highlighted the strategic collaboration with Samsung as pivotal. Not only does it grant access to Samsung Next’s portfolio firms interested in leveraging their API, but it also entails a partnership with Samsung’s device units to formulate an expansive distribution strategy.
Rahul Sood and David Raskino, the company’s CTO, co-founded Irreverent Labs. Their partnership traces back to 2011 when they joined forces at Microsoft to establish Microsoft Venture. Following this, Sood embarked on a gaming venture while Raskino ventured into fund management in 2014.
As AI-powered content creation continues its ascent, strategic alliances like the one between Irreverent Labs and Samsung Next are likely to redefine the landscape of digital creativity.
The co-founders’ conversations about Irreverent gained momentum after Sood’s previous company was acquired in 2021. “While David aspired to construct an AI application for business purposes, I was more interested in doing something around entertainment,” Sood said. “Consequently, the inception of Irreverent Labs merged, characterized as an ‘automated entertainment company.’”
Though it initially used its AI technology to build video games, it realized that allowing users to generate all types of short videos, including 3D, presented a much bigger opportunity.
“At Irreverent, we’re on a mission to make it possible for anyone to create compelling short-form video entertainment with AI,” said Sood, explaining how the product would work. “Users can visit the website and upload a short video prompt like a live photo. We will then predict a short, high-quality video from these frames. It’s super simple.” (Irreverent will announce the name of the website users can visit later this year.)
The startup will eventually make it possible to use multiple inputs like text to direct the action and add characters, audio, and the beginning/ending frames users can upload, according to Sood. “We’ll generate the movie to fill in the blanks,” he added.
Initially, Irreverent’s users will likely be people who are already making short-form content regularly and uploading on platforms like Tiktok, YouTube and Instagram. Later, it expects its AI foundation models will enable “people who do not have classical video production experience to create short video content.” The company will also be targeting the developer ecosystem, as it plans to release an API, as well as enterprise customers.
“The possibilities that Irreverent Labs’ technology unlocks are vast, and the potential impact on the mobile devices in our pockets and backpacks and the televisions mounted on our living room walls are immense,” said Joan Kim, investor at Samsung Next. “From concept to reality, this revolutionary model bridges the gap between imagination and execution.”
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