If you're not already familiar with Viggle AI, you've likely encountered its viral creations on your social media feed.
Viggle AI Secures $19 Million Series A Investment
Toronto-based Viggle AI, officially known as WarpEngine Canada Inc., has just completed a substantial $19 million Series A funding round.
This investment, led by the prominent Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), saw participation from Two Small Fish.
This fresh capital will be pivotal in propelling the companyâs product development and expansion efforts.
Founded in 2022 by Hang Chu, a former principal research scientist at Autodesk and a previous Nvidia employee, Viggle AI has swiftly made a name for itself in the realm of generative AI.
Announcing our investment in @ViggleAI!
Viggle makes it incredibly easy to put characters in videos or make them move.
Since launch in March, millions have used Viggle to make memes, dancing videos, acting clips - and more.
(see me, CEO Hang, and @kirbyman01 âŹïž) pic.twitter.com/px4D3nu1hc
â Justine Moore (@venturetwins) August 26, 2024
How JST-1 Turns Static Images into Stunning Video Animations
Viggle AIâs flagship offering revolves around a proprietary generative artificial intelligence service that transforms static images into dynamic short videos using natural language prompts.
Users upload an image and either provide a text description or a reference video that depicts the desired animation motion.
The companyâs custom foundation model, JST-1, is employed to convert these assets into a short video.
What distinguishes JST-1 from other models on the market is its purported âgenuine understanding of physics,â a feature claimed to enable more realistic character movements compared to competing neural networks.
Viggle pipeline still the goat
For 2D flat stuff like this it's significantly better than mimic and LivePortrait pic.twitter.com/lRJ1QDZ2U0
â A.I.Warper (@AIWarper) July 24, 2024
The effectiveness of Viggle AIâs technology is exemplified by viral videos such as one where Joaquin Phoenixâs Joker persona replaces video footage of rapper Lil Yachty.
Viggle AI Experiment đ
This is an incredible tool for style transfer.
Details and link to Discord below đ
As always, if you enjoy this content please kindly like and share! pic.twitter.com/1qW8H0MuwX
â A.I.Warper (@AIWarper) April 8, 2024
This integration of character and motion highlights the potential of JST-1 to deliver realistic and engaging animations.
Despite the growing competition from other companies like OpenAI and Runway AI Inc., which are also making strides in video generation, Viggle AIâs unique approach sets it apart.
Expanding Reach and Enhancing Capabilities
The recent Series A funding is set to amplify Viggle AIâs growth trajectory.
The company plans to invest in scaling its operations, accelerating product development, and expanding its team.
A significant portion of the funds will be directed towards the Viggle Creator Program, which provides members with a Pro subscription, additional video creation credits, and early access to new features.
This initiative is aimed at fostering a robust community of creators and enhancing user engagement.
Viggle AI Experiment đ
This is an incredible tool for style transfer.
Details and link to Discord below đ
As always, if you enjoy this content please kindly like and share! pic.twitter.com/1qW8H0MuwX
â A.I.Warper (@AIWarper) April 8, 2024
Viggle AIâs business model includes a subscription tier priced at $9.99 per month, offering users increased capacity and higher usage limits.
The platform has already garnered a substantial user base, boasting over four million members on its Discord server.
Hereâs how to create on Discord with these prompts:
How to VIGGLE
1. hop into Viggles Discord server:https://t.co/EMiv5qg0Hy
2. Paste this into chat:
/animate image: motion_prompt:$lil_yachty_stage_entrance background:From template finetune:On
3. Pic an image
4. search your name
5. other templates:https://t.co/VjSPKClFw0 https://t.co/x0zeiY2UMk pic.twitter.com/Q5P768RCEO
â Roberta Borsos (@_RobertBorsos) April 13, 2024
Creative professionals use the service for creating proof-of-concept animations, while hobbyists leverage it to produce content that would otherwise require considerable time investment.
Viggle Community Gallery Vol. 5 - Control the movement, create your story.
Which do you like the most?
Original post in thread đ pic.twitter.com/alcs2o8Ieo
â ViggleAI (@ViggleAI) July 19, 2024
Viggleâs Use of YouTube Data Sparks Legal and Ethical Debate
Despite its success, Viggle AI faces scrutiny regarding its data training practices.
The company has acknowledged using publicly available data, including YouTube videos, to train its models.
The CEO of AI video company Viggle admitted they train on YouTube videos. The company tried to walk it back, but admitted it when told it had been on the record.
AI companies will hope they can normalize training on copyrighted work without permission: when it's clear they're⊠pic.twitter.com/RZMc9NxFHt
â Ed Newton-Rex (@ednewtonrex) August 26, 2024
However, this raises potential legal concerns as YouTubeâs terms of service prohibit the harvesting of video content without explicit permission.
In response, Viggle AI has asserted that it complies with terms of service and avoids unauthorised video downloads.
Despite this, the companyâs use of YouTube data remains a contentious issue in the industry.
Future Prospects and Industry Impact
Viggle AIâs advancements reflect a broader trend in the AI-driven content creation sector, where companies are pushing the boundaries of whatâs possible with generative technology.
As the company continues to innovate and expand, it remains to be seen how it will shape the future of AI-driven animation and content creation.
The substantial investment from Andreessen Horowitz, a firm committed to AI infrastructure and applications, underscores the potential impact of Viggle AIâs technology on the entertainment industry and beyond.
In a statement, Viggle AI CEO Hang Chu expressed enthusiasm about the partnership with Andreessen Horowitz and Two Small Fish, highlighting their belief in the companyâs vision.
Chu emphasised,
âWe are excited to welcome a16z and Two Small Fish as partners in our next phase of growth. Their investment not only affirms our vision but also empowers us to redefine the possibilities in AI-driven character animation.â
This confidence in their technology and market position suggests that Viggle AI is poised for significant developments in the near future.
