Nvidia’s Inception program is tracking more than 7,000 AI startups, up 25% in a year. That’s a lot of growth for AI companies in a very tough year.
Nvidia business development VP Jeff Herbst said in a blog post that crisis breeds opportunity and that AI startups are stepping up with AI, machine learning, and data science to help address the worldwide emergency of the pandemic.
“2020…
CoachHub nabs $30 million for talent development platform that meshes AI with analytics
December 18, 2020
CoachHub, a “talent development” platform that pairs employees with business coaches, has raised $30 million in a series B round of funding led by Draper Esprit.
Founded in 2018, Berlin-based CoachHub is a digital coaching platform that leverages an AI-based matching…
Google AI team demands changes after Dr. Timnit Gebru's departure
December 18, 2020
Two weeks after the departure of AI researcher Dr. Timnit Gebru, Google’s Ethical AI team has issued a list of demands to its management. In a letter obtained by NBC News and Bloomberg, the division calls for the removal of Megan Kacholia, vice president of engineering at…
Has AI adoption plateaued, or is it just catching its breath?
December 18, 2020
It has been a wild year in every quarter, and AI development is no exception. On the whole, the year has been mixed for AI, as there have been both notable advances and new revelations about abusive applications of the technology. And the market for AI technologies appears to have plateaued, with a recent global survey finding no increase in AI adoption in the enterprise. This helps to explain why…
Anomalo nabs $5.95 million for AI data validation tools
December 17, 2020
Anomalo, a provider of data validation and documentation services for developers, today announced that it raised $5.95 million in venture capital. First Round Capital and Foundation Capital participated in the seed funding round, which is Anomalo’s first since its founding…
Deepdub uses AI to localize voice dubbing for foreign language films
December 16, 2020
Deepdub is launching its platform that uses AI to dub voices into videos so entertainment companies can localize content in multiple languages at the click of a button.
The Tel Aviv, Israel-based company uses AI and deep learning to extend and retain audience experiences for…
RunwayML raises $8.5 million for its AI-powered media creation tools
December 16, 2020
RunwayML, a Brooklyn-based startup building a library of AI-powered tools for designers, artists, and other creators, has raised $8.5 million in venture capital. The company says the funds will be used to accelerate its go-to-market efforts as looks to increase the size of its product development teams.
Runway CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela argues that for decades, the over $2.1 trillion media industry…
AI is really, really good at automating repetitive tasks. Laika, the stop-motion animation studio best known for its feature films , , ,, and , captures and edits tens of thousands of frames for each of its movies. Needless to say, the company has plenty of repetitive tasks…
From whistleblower laws to unions: How Google’s AI ethics meltdown could shape policy
December 16, 2020
It’s been two weeks since Google fired Timnit Gebru, a decision that still seems incomprehensible. Gebru is one of the most highly regarded AI ethics researchers in the world, a pioneer whose work has highlighted the ways tech fails marginalized communities when it comes…
Unity has acquired RestAR to enable AI-based 3D capture
December 16, 2020
Game engine maker Unity has acquired RestAR, a Tel Aviv-based computer vision and deep learning company that enables fashion brands, online retailers, and marketers to scan and render physical consumer products in high-quality 3D, using only a mobile device.
This acquisition is coming on the heels of the launch of Unity Forma, a new tool that enables marketers to create and publish interactive…