NEWS
EdgeRunner AI emerges from stealth with $ 5.5m seed funding
This technology is pitched as transforming how enterprises and organizations responsibly deploy Gen AI – providing them with hyperpersonalization and domain specific use cases .
By developing small , task-specific open models optimized for any chip , EdgeRunner AI elevates SLMs into Ultra-Efficient Language Models ( UELMs ). This allows organizations to run AI models locally on any device or hardware , resulting in improved performance , increased data privacy , near zero latency and reduced power consumption , for a better , more sustainable future .
“ The challenge with Generative AI today lies in its broad applicability without addressing specific business needs ,” said Tyler Xuan Saltsman , Co-Founder and CEO , EdgeRunner AI .
EdgeRunner AI , a new San Francisco based startup building Gen AI for the edge , has officially launched – closing a $ 5.5 million seed funding round led by Four Rivers Group with participation from Madrona Ventures and strategic angels .
The funding will go towards building EdgeRunner AI ’ s innovative platform , powered by state-of-the-art transparent models designed to operate seamlessly on any device or hardware without requiring internet access .
“ From my military experience in Eastern Europe , I saw the need for personalized , domain specific and secure AI in isolated environments .
Black box proprietary models are aligned to the cloud rather than the user . Understanding the biases within these opaque models is complex and critical for both usability and safety .
Our approach ensures full transparency of models from weights and code to architecture and datasets .”
CCC pioneers collective licensing solution for internal AI systems
CCC has announced the availability of AI re-use rights within its Annual Copyright Licenses ( ACL ) – an enterprise-wide content licensing solution offering rights from millions of works to businesses that subscribe .
CCC actively advocates for copyright worldwide , engaging governments , stakeholders and individuals with educational programming and thought leadership resources .
The organization also produces an online hub which features informational resources for creators , publishers , rightsholders , technologists , media representatives , policymakers , intellectual property attorneys and others .
The inclusion of AI re-use rights makes the ACL the first-ever collective licensing solution for the internal use of copyrighted materials in AI systems . The license enables participating rightsholders to fulfill the needs of companies that require an efficient way to legally acquire the rights to use copyrighted materials within AI systems for internal use .
“ It is possible to be pro-AI and pro-copyright , and to couple AI with respect for creators ,” said Tracey Armstrong , President and CEO , CCC .
“ Responsible AI starts with licensing , and in developing this license , CCC enables users to efficiently gain access to a consistent set of rights across many rightsholders and returns royalties to rightsholders as compensation for use of their works .”
Maria Pallante , President and CEO , Association of American Publishers , said : “ Efficient , voluntary licensing solutions are a win-win for everybody in the value chain , including AI developers who want to do the right thing . I am grateful to organizations like
CCC , as they are helping the next generation marketplace to evolve robustly and in forward-thinking fashion .”
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