AI UPDATE: More Video AI Funding, OpenAI Acquisition, Claude 2 Use Cases

London's Electric Sheep Secures $500K for Groundbreaking AI Tool That Replaces Green Screen

The AI startup aims to revolutionize the VFX industry with its innovative technology

London-based AI startup Electric Sheep has raised $500K in a pre-seed funding round to support the development of its groundbreaking AI tool. The tool, called Spotlight, is set to revolutionize the visual effects (VFX) industry by automating flawless background removal, eliminating the need for green screens. The funding round was led by US-based VC Dasein Capital, with participation from Spatial Capital and Look AI Ventures.

The Problem with Green Screens:
In the world of film and television production, green screens have long been used to create special effects. However, the process of manually cutting around foregrounds frame-by-frame is time-consuming and costly. It can take up to 6 hours to process just 1 second of footage, costing the industry over $1.5 billion per year.

The Solution: Spotlight AI Tool:
Electric Sheep's Spotlight AI tool aims to solve this problem by automating the background removal process. The tool uses advanced AI algorithms to accurately trace over live-action footage frame by frame, creating realistic and lifelike animation. Unlike traditional methods, Spotlight outputs an editable layer that allows VFX artists to make key adjustments, making it suitable for industry workflows.

Key Benefits of Spotlight:
- Flawless background removal without the need for green screens
- Accelerated post-production process, saving time and money
- Output of an editable layer for easy adjustments
- Cloud-native solution that is 360x faster than manual methods

Industry Recognition:
Steven Sullivan, Partner at Spatial Capital and former Senior Technology Officer of LucasFilm, praised Electric Sheep's cutting-edge cloud and AI platform, stating that it has the potential to revolutionize several core VFX workflows. The company's smart and pragmatic approach to automating post-production tasks is expected to have a significant impact on the industry.

Looking Ahead:
With the new funding, Electric Sheep plans to further enhance its AI tool and expand its capabilities. The company aims to become a leader in the VFX industry by providing a faster, more efficient, and cost-effective solution for background removal. By eliminating the need for green screens, Electric Sheep's technology has the potential to transform the way visual effects are created in film and television.

Electric Sheep's successful funding round is a testament to the potential of its groundbreaking AI tool, Spotlight. By automating the background removal process, the company aims to revolutionize the VFX industry and save both time and money for filmmakers. With its innovative approach and strong industry support, Electric Sheep is well-positioned to become a key player in the world of visual effects

The Next Frontier: When AI Meets Design

Well, folks, hold onto your coffee cups because the future of technology just took a left turn at the corner of Reality Street and Surprising Avenue. Remember when you were impressed with that toast-making robot on YouTube? Child's play. Last year introduced us to the technological marvel that is generative AI, and systems like Midjourney and ChatGPT became the new celebrities. It's like waking up and finding your toaster can now write poetry!

So, just when we thought we'd peaked at tech wizardry, OpenAI (yep, the same folks behind DALL-E and ChatGPT) drops a bombshell: they're acquiring a company. And not just any company, but Global Illumination, the swanky New York tech startup. Now, this is like Batman teaming up with Iron Man. Imagine the gadgets!

Why Is This a Big Deal, You Ask?

Remember those tech-savvy geniuses behind your favorite apps like Instagram and Facebook? Turns out, the big brains from Global Illumination, including their CEO Thomas Dimson and co-founders Taylor Gordon and Joey Flynn, were the magicians behind some of those curtain-twitching algorithms and designs. So, by joining forces, OpenAI is looking to amp up their magic potion.

I recently had a little jaunt to the heart of AI design in San Francisco (yes, it's as futuristic as it sounds) and discovered that ChatGPT is like the engine of a car. A powerful, complex engine. But what's an engine without a sleek, beautiful body and intuitive controls? That’s where design steps in. Design takes this raw power and shapes it into something we can touch, see, and interact with.

Let's Break This Down a Bit

Think of AI, especially the "large language models" like ChatGPT, as a super well-read hermit. Imagine someone who's read every book but has never stepped outside. They can describe the wind, but they've never felt it. That's ChatGPT. It's brilliant but sometimes a bit off, like trying to pronounce "quinoa" for the first time (keen-what?).

In simpler terms, AI is like a dreamy calculator. You punch in a query, and instead of spitting out numbers, it spins a yarn. The design then shapes this yarn, controls it, presents it, and even adds those jazzy little touches like animations to make it all feel alive.

Here's the Rub

While OpenAI is sitting on a tech goldmine, they're also eyeing the competition like someone protecting their sandwich in a room full of hungry people. And let's be real, in the world of tech, someone's always eyeing your sandwich. The reality is that many AI-driven apps don’t care about the underlying AI model. It's like swapping out the engine of a car. Sure, it's work, but it doesn’t mean you need a new car.

But, and this is a big 'but', OpenAI is gearing up. They already have some slick designs in their toolkit, like the ChatGPT mobile app. And with Global Illumination on their side? It's like adding nitro boosters to their car.

Remember when Figma nabbed Diagram earlier this year? Design meeting AI is becoming the trend. It's like peanut butter meeting jelly. It was bound to happen, and it's delicious!

Wrapping It Up

In short, what we're seeing is the exciting union of the brains (AI) and the beauty (design). It's the start of an era where these two powerhouses come together to create something more intuitive, user-friendly, and, dare I say, magical.

So, the next time you're using an app and find yourself thinking, "Wow, this is clever!", just remember: there's a team of tech wizards and design gurus laughing, high-fiving, and thinking, "We did that!" And trust me, there's a lot more where that came from.

Cheers to the future, and may our toasters write even better poetry! 🍞🤖📝

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