AI Foundation
{{Short description|Artificial intelligence company}}
{{Undisclosed paid|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox company
| name = AI Foundation
| logo =
| type = Private
| industry = Artificial intelligence
| founded = 2017
| founder = Lars Buttler and Rob Meadows
| website = {{URL|https://aifoundation.com}}
}}
AI Foundation is an American artificial intelligence company.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90456164/silicon-valleys-hot-new-commodity-creepy-ai-powered-avatars|title='We can't scale humans': Why startups are raising millions to build AI avatars|last=Newman|first=Jared|date=2020-01-28|website=Fast Company|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-05}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2020/01/02/where-ai-going-2020-useful-virtual-assistants-digital-versions-you/2634457001/|title=AI in 2020 and beyond: create a digital replica of your aging parent or yourself|last=Baig|first=Edward C.|website=USA TODAY|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-05}} It is based in San Francisco and Las Vegas.
History
Lars Buttler and Rob Meadows founded the AI Foundation, which creates intelligent agents that can be trained. The company was created in 2017 and had been operating in stealth mode until September 2018, when it was unveiled to the public for the first time.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/endeavor-ai-foundation-founders-fund-biz-stone-1202946570/|title=Endeavor Invests in AI Foundation, Startup That Has Created AI Filters to Spot Deepfakes Photos|last=Spangler|first=Todd|date=2018-09-18|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2020-02-05}}{{Cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2018/09/18/ai-foundation-raises-10-million-to-launch-products-that-benefit-humanity/|title=AI Foundation raises $10 million to launch products that benefit humanity|date=2018-09-18|website=VentureBeat|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-05}}
AI Foundation is funded by Founders Fund, You & Mr Jones, Endeavor and Twitter co-founder Biz Stone.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/endeavor-ai-foundation-founders-fund-biz-stone-1202946570/|title=Endeavor Invests in AI Foundation, Startup That Has Created AI Filters to Spot Deepfakes Photos|last=Spangler|first=Todd|date=2018-09-18|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2020-02-05}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishnews.com/magazine/technology/2019/10/25/news/twitter-co-founder-invests-in-ai-project-to-create-new-type-of-media--1748905/|title=Twitter co-founder invests in AI project to create 'new type of media'|date=2019-10-25|website=The Irish News|language=en|access-date=2020-02-05}}{{Cite web|url=https://techcentral.co.za/twitter-co-founder-biz-stone-envisages-new-type-of-media/93590/|title=Twitter co-founder Biz Stone envisages 'new type of media' - TechCentral|website=techcentral.co.za|access-date=2020-02-05}}
At the One Young World conference started by David Jones, founder of You & Mr. Jones, Biz Stone and AI Foundation unveiled several prototypes such as a digital clone of Richard Branson.{{Cite news|url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/rights-robots-idUKL5N27A486|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191026204821/https://uk.reuters.com/article/rights-robots-idUKL5N27A486|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 26, 2019|title=Spreading human rights around the world, one AI at a time?|date=2019-10-25|work=Reuters|access-date=2020-02-05|language=en}}
On the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Deepak Chopra showed off his digital AI version of himself, developed the AI Foundation, which took Jimmy Fallon and the audience through a guided meditation.{{Cite web|url=https://mashable.com/video/digital-deepak-chopa-jimmy-fallon/|title=Deepak Chopra gives Jimmy Fallon a sneak peek at the digital AI version of himself|last=Connellan|first=Shannon|website=Mashable|language=en|access-date=2020-02-05}} Deepak's AI was aptly called Digital Deepak{{Cite web|url=https://www.adweek.com/digital/this-startup-wants-to-give-everyone-an-artificially-intelligent-version-of-themselves/|title=AI Foundation Is Building Celebrity Personas|website=www.adweek.com|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-05}}{{Cite web|url=https://digitaldeepak.ai/|title=Digital Deepak {{!}} Signup|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-05}} and "will offer you advice whenever you need it" according to CNBC.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/05/deepak-chopra-is-coming-to-phones-as-an-ai-chatbot.html|title=A digital version of Deepak Chopra is coming to your phone and will offer you advice whenever you need it|last=Gomez|first=Brandon|date=2019-12-05|website=CNBC|language=en|access-date=2020-02-05}}
The first product AI Foundation released was called Reality Defender.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/23/17383912/fake-news-browser-plug-ins-ai-information-apocalypse|title=Browser plug-ins that spot fake news show the difficulty of tackling the "information apocalypse"|last=Vincent|first=James|date=2018-08-23|website=The Verge|language=en|access-date=2020-02-05}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/6/27/18715235/deepfake-detection-ai-algorithms-accuracy-will-they-ever-work|title=Deepfake detection algorithms will never be enough|last=Vincent|first=James|date=2019-06-27|website=The Verge|language=en|access-date=2020-02-05}}