Civitai allows users to upload a series of images, choose a base model, and generate their own images using the captured style. The company is planning to create a consumer-facing mobile app as a repository for AI imagery and is also focusing on enabling users to monetize their work. Despite concerns about artists' work being used to train AI models, Civitai has a process for artists to flag resources they believe are using their work, leading to negotiations on the next steps.
Key takeaways:
- Civitai is a platform where users can share their own Stable Diffusion-based AI image models and the output of their work. The startup was founded by Justin Maier, who saw a need for a centralized community where people could share and discover AI models.
- By January 2023, Civitai had 100,000 registered users and was officially founded as a company. Three months later, it hit a million registered users and currently has around 3 million registered users with 12 to 13 million unique visitors each month.
- Civitai raised a $5.1 million funding round in June led by Andreessen Horowitz at a $20 million valuation. The funds will be used to contribute to a world where any individual can take advantage of AI technology.
- The company is planning to allow users to monetize their work, either by connecting them with brands that want to create unique concepts using AI, or by direct monetization such as paying to access a model or paying for one-off image generation.