Generative AI is already seen as the top tech trend of 2023. The ability to generate new content via algorithms has been boosted into the public consciousness by the likes of ChatGPT, a chatbot-style technology trained on large language models (LLMs). capable of producing essays, poems, lyrics, newspaper articles and even computer programs. And then there’s DALL-E, from the same Microsoft-backed OpenAI that spawned ChatGPT, which serves a similar purpose but for visual creations.
While some have argued that ChatGPT signals The arrival of AI into the mainstreamThe truth of the matter is that we are just at the beginning of a new era of AI-powered applications that will transform nearly every facet of the industry, from consumer search and stock photography to real estate and content marketing.
And it is in that context that a new company called Yours seeks to make its mark by allowing companies to create “unique” videos tailored to a specific individual, but based entirely on a single initial recording.
The idea is that a sales and marketing team, for example, could broadcast an endless stream of video pitches to prospects, perhaps based on textual data the prospect submitted via an online form. Or perhaps a headhunter uses the platform to send multiple personalized videos to potential candidates using data collected from their LinkedIn profiles.
Y Combinator (YC) is a joint venture founded by Quinn Favret and CEO Hassan Raza. alum Tavus today announced that it has raised $6.1 million in a seed round of funding led by Silicon Valley investor Sequoia, with participation from a host of high-profile backers, including Accel Partners, Index Ventures, Lightspeed Ventures and YC Continuity.
How does it work
Any business looking to create multiple personalized videos will know that it is a time-consuming, repetitive process: recording the same message, with substantially the same content, but modified for different clients or candidates. And that’s what Tavus seeks to address, allowing users to create their own AI video templates in minutes, and then generate an unlimited number of versions of a video from that original source.
The initial onboarding process requires the user, such as a recruiter or sales executive, to record a 15-minute video based on a script provided by Tavus, which is used to train the AI. The user then registers a template for each campaign he wishes to create.
Tavus: Reading a script to create a base template image credits: Yours
Using a web-based editor, users can select which elements of the video they want to customize by specifying each variable (for example, company, executive name, or location), adding calls to action, etc.
Tavus: customizing scripts with variables image credits: Yours
Tavus also supports longer-form variables via ChatGPT-powered snippets for more personalized presentations, something Favret says has been highly requested by its users. For example, the base script on which a video is created can be configured to include a one sentence introduction generated from a specific person’s LinkedIn profile.
Tavus: Generating personalized content image credits: Yours
In essence, Tavus strives to replicate what mass marketing software has been doing in the email arena for years, bringing it into the more visually appealing world of video. Indeed, this could raise some red flags for some: are people going to be as receptive to a personalized sales pitch when they find out that the sender hasn’t In fact made the effort to make a video just for them? But more than that, there’s perhaps something a little creepy about an AI-generated video that uses personal information gathered from a database, which means something designed to be staff Ultimately it might seem unbelievably impersonal when the user finds out how it was done.
The questions raised by such scenarios will continue as AI becomes more entrenched in our everyday lives. and Favret is quick to emphasize that while sales and marketing are obvious use cases for its technology, it is not. purely About those verticals: You’re seeing buy-in from “an eclectic group of users,” including recruiters, college deans, and C-level executives.
“There is a common misconception that Tavus only works with sales and marketing teams,” Favret said. “While this is our focus, we have users applying Tavus in innovative and powerful ways throughout the entire customer journey. Many of our power users apply Tavus extensively in their organizations, including for customer success, product, recruiting, and other marketing-related functions.”
AND WHO exactly, is it being proposed for cloning?
“Usually, the user clones himself, however, it is also common for companies to have a central figure, such as an executive or a spokesperson, record the videos to have a coherent image of the company,” Favret added. . “Tavus is designed so that all types of users can be easily cloned in minutes.”
Under the hood, Tavus says he uses machine learning to train a model on facial gestures and lip movements, creating a system that realistically mimics these movements in sync with synthesized audio.
When it comes to implementation, companies can access Tavus in two main ways. Half of their users do so through their web panel, while the rest integrate Tavus into their own systems via APIs or integrate it natively.
“We often see sales teams use and deploy Tavus directly through the platform, as they can efficiently generate large batches of videos for the campaigns they have planned,” Favret said. “Other teams will use Tavus in a more programmatic way, integrating it directly into their systems. This allows users to create ‘event-driven’ workflows where a Tavus video can be generated and sent after a trigger.”
As an ‘event-based’ example, if a sales prospect submitted a form on a company’s website, the company could automatically generate and send a personalized Tavus video to that prospect using the data the prospect enters.
“This allows companies to capitalize on timing to get maximum conversions, without having to wait for a team member to record the video,” Favret continued.
Misuse
At the higher end of the generative AI spectrum, we’re seeing companies like Microsoft and Google battle it out to see who can get their respective intelligence into the hands of businesses and consumers the fastest, a battle Microsoft appears to be winning. present. At the same time, we’re seeing a lot of generative AI startups coming to the fore, like GlossAi, which uses AI to help businesses easily create shareable marketing spoofs, while Typeface is doing something similar. for marketing copy and image generation. in the company
For Tavus specifically, there have been comparable companies for a few years, such as Windsor, which does something similar, albeit with a heavy focus on eCommerce. And then there is the headquarters in London synthesisbacked by a swath of high-profile investors, which is more about creating digital avatars from text to use in training and how-to videos.
So it’s clear that even before all the generative AI hype of the past few months, there was a growing movement in that direction from the startup world, something that Tavus is now looking to capitalize on. In fact, in its short life so far, Tavus has already won some pretty big clients, like the real estate data company. Co-star and the French technological scale AB Tasty.
However, it is worth considering the possible misuse of this type of technology. For example, is there anything that prevents someone from uploading a video of someone else speaking and then creating new videos from that template? There is certainly no shortage of examples of fake cheating from across the video and voice spectrum. And some companies, like the startup from the creators of South Park deep voodoo – are already raising venture capital cash for their deepfake efforts. As this type of technology becomes more entrenched and normalized within society, there will be more questions about the ethical implications of it all, even if the underlying intentions are well-intentioned.
According to Favret, Tavus has a built-in feature that makes it harder to cheat the system, requiring users to perform voice verification and record live on the Tavus platform.
“This means that users cannot upload videos of others talking,” Favret said. “In addition, users have full rights to their data and likenesses, which allows them to delete or remove their videos at any time. We’re also very intentional with how Tavus is used: we look at each use case before a user gets started with Tavus, and we make sure the use case complies with our community guidelines and is ethical. Security and ethics are incredibly important to us, especially given how young this technology is in society.”
Show me the money
In terms of business model, Tavus offers a basic introductory plan aimed at smaller businesses, which costs $275 per month with restrictions like the number of videos they can create. The custom “business” plan removes these restrictions, although there is no set price advertised; basically, it tailors the price according to the way the company intends to use it.
“Tavus plans are customized to a company’s specific use case and needs, but at a high level we operate on a usage-based model where users are charged based on a combination of the amount of seats they have, as well as the number of videos they generate,” Favret said.
Prior to this latest seed round, Tavus had raised a small amount of funding as part of its participation in the YC program in 2021. Its full list of seed round investors includes: Sequoia, Accel Partners, Index Ventures, Lightspeed Ventures, YC Continuity, SV Angel, Hack VC, Remus Capital, Mantis Capital, Liquid2 Ventures, Zillionize, Soma Capital, GTMfund, Terra Nova, and various undisclosed angel investors.
