TL;DR:
- AI startup 1337 is shaping the future of virtual influencers.
- “Digital human economy” is set to reach $125 billion by 2035.
- 1337 leverages generative AI to create diverse, user-influenced micro-influencers.
- Users are rewarded for contributing to AI-driven influencer content.
- Fifty unique AI-driven entities with distinct personas and interests.
- Entities interact with users on various social media platforms.
- An innovative co-creation approach combines AI and user input.
- Entities are set to officially launch in January 2024.
- Entities are designed using a blend of AI models and user feedback.
- Notable team members and strategic advisors enhance the project’s potential.
- Future plans include audio integration and revenue sharing for creators.
Main AI News:
The landscape of social media influencers is undergoing a transformative shift, ushering in a new era of virtual influencers powered by artificial intelligence. This paradigm shift has birthed the “digital human economy,” a burgeoning market segment anticipated to flourish into a $125 billion industry by 2035, as projected by Gartner.
A key catalyst driving this evolution is the emergence of AI image generators, Midjourney and Stable Diffusion, which have made creating virtual influencers more accessible than ever before. These digital personalities seamlessly integrate into the social media landscape, captivating audiences as authentic internet personas. Among the trailblazers in this domain is 1337, pronounced as “Leet.”
1337, a generative AI startup, is on a mission to cultivate a community of AI-driven micro-influencers. These influencers are distinctively characterized by their hyper-personalized interests and diverse backgrounds, designed to resonate with niche communities ranging from gardening and emo music to vintage fashion and classical literature.
Breaking cover from stealth mode, 1337 has secured an impressive $4 million in funding to further its mission. What sets 1337 apart is its approach to co-creation; it not only employs AI to craft influencers but also encourages user input in shaping their behavior and content.
Jenny Dearing, co-founder and CEO of 1337, envisions a harmonious synergy between human interaction and nascent AI capabilities. In a world saturated with influencers that often veer toward the overly commercial or impersonal, 1337 introduces diverse AI-driven entities that engage users in novel and dynamic ways. Moreover, users are financially rewarded for their contributions, although the exact compensation remains undisclosed.
These AI-driven entities, known as “Entities,” come in a diverse array of 50 unique influencers, each possessing distinct skills, traits, and interests. For example, meet Daria, a 19-year-old unapologetic music blogger and mental health advocate with a passion for “emo culture.” Daria’s story unfolded after discovering a cousin’s vinyl record collection, which sparked a desire to create a blog for individuals grappling with mental health challenges.
These Entities lead intricately woven lives, sharing details about their homes, favorite hangout spots, and philosophical musings. 1337 offers a diverse selection of Entities, spanning various ages, gender identities, nationalities, and occupations. Each Entity maintains its presence on Instagram, LinkedIn and even boasts public Spotify playlists, allowing followers to interact through comments and direct messages.
1337’s vision transcends conventional chatbot interactions. These Entities evolve alongside their niche communities, adapting to the ever-changing digital landscape. Jenny Dearing believes that this pioneering approach will redefine social media engagement and online interaction paradigms. Currently, in beta, the Entities are set to launch officially in January 2024.
Entities are a collaborative creation, combining the expertise of the 1337 team with user input and the capabilities of AI models like OpenAI’s GPT-4 for written content and Midjourney for art. This fusion ensures consistency and authenticity in their virtual personas.
The founding team at 1337 comprises accomplished individuals such as Robin Raszka, co-founder and former founder of AI avatar startup Alter, which was acquired by Google in 2022 for $100 million. Jan Maly, a former machine learning engineer at STRV, serves as the Chief Technical Officer. The team is further fortified by strategic advisors, including Bailey Richardson, former head of community at Instagram, now leading both marketing and community at Substack.
Innovating with open-source software (OSS) and large language models (LLMs), 1337 specializes in multimedia content analysis, focusing on images. Their proprietary OSS LLMs are seamlessly integrated into their workflows, ensuring consistent facial features across virtual entities.
Co-creating with an Entity involves users participating in a Discord chat, generating captions and images for the Entity’s activities or experiences. A “Entity Point of View” mode allows users to envision how the Entity perceives the world. Content moderation ensures alignment with pre-established guidelines, crediting creators in approved posts.
Entities have garnered immense engagement, particularly from Gen-Z creators who are prolific in generating content. As the platform evolves, 1337 plans to empower its “super creators” to craft entirely new Entities and introduce a revenue-sharing model for creators in the near future.
Exciting developments are on the horizon, including the integration of audio for Entities, enabling them to host podcasts and create videos, set to launch in the first half of 2024. Investors such as Credo Ventures, GFR Fund, Treble Capital, Roosh Ventures, as well as notable figures like Hugging Face CEO Clément Delangue and model Natalia Vodianova have joined 1337’s funding round.
The primary focus of this funding infusion is to nurture and expand the global creator community. Thus far, hundreds of individuals have collaborated in crafting content for the Entities. Karolina Mrozkova, General Partner and Investor at Credo Ventures, emphasizes that AI’s dynamic applications are transforming human creativity and connectivity, heralding a new era in social media for creators, followers, and advertisers alike.
Conclusion:
1337’s pioneering approach to AI-driven virtual influencers empowers users to actively shape these entities while offering unique engagement opportunities. This signals a significant shift in the market, as the “digital human economy” continues to grow, providing new avenues for user-generated content and redefining social media engagement. Investors’ interest in this venture highlights the potential impact of AI on the social media landscape, affecting creators, followers, and advertisers alike.
