Human Native AI, a London-based startup, is revolutionizing the AI industry by creating a marketplace to broker licensing deals between AI companies and content rights holders. As AI systems and large language models rely on massive amounts of data to be accurate, it is crucial for these systems to have access to the right data while respecting copyright laws. Human Native AI aims to address this issue by helping AI companies find data to train their models on and ensuring that rights holders are compensated.
The idea for Human Native AI emerged from CEO and co-founder James Smith’s experience working on Google’s DeepMind project, where he encountered difficulties in acquiring enough quality data to train the system. Smith noticed that other AI companies faced similar challenges and wondered why there wasn’t a marketplace to facilitate these transactions.
After discussing the idea with his friend Jack Galilee, an engineer at GRAIL, the two decided to pursue it. Launched in April, Human Native AI is already operating in beta and has received positive feedback from both AI companies and publishing CEOs. The company has signed several partnerships that will be announced soon. To support its growth, Human Native AI recently secured a £2.8 million seed round led by LocalGlobe and Mercuri, two British micro VCs.
By providing a platform for licensing content, Human Native AI fills a crucial gap in the AI industry. Large AI players require substantial amounts of data to train their models, and facilitating collaboration with rights holders while giving them full control over their content usage is a win-win situation.
The potential benefits extend beyond established AI companies. Smaller AI systems that lack the resources to secure deals with major publishers like Vox or The Atlantic can still access valuable data through Human Native AI. This platform has the potential to level the playing field and democratize access to training data.
Furthermore, Human Native AI’s data collection has future potential. The company plans to use the data it gathers to provide rights holders with insights on pricing their content based on historical deal data on the platform.
Timing-wise, Human Native AI’s launch is strategic. With the evolution of the European Union AI Act and potential AI regulations in the U.S., the ethical sourcing of data by AI companies will become increasingly important. Human Native AI aims to ensure responsible practices within the industry and prevent the decimation of industries that have contributed to its development.
In conclusion, Human Native AI’s marketplace for licensing data is a game-changer in the AI industry. By facilitating partnerships between AI companies and content rights holders, Human Native AI addresses the need for accurate training data while respecting copyright laws. The platform not only benefits large AI players but also provides opportunities for smaller AI systems. With the potential to level the playing field and promote responsible AI practices, Human Native AI is poised to shape the future of the industry.
