Fish Audio raises $50M seed to build AI voice models for creators and enterprises
Quick Answer
Fish Audio has raised $50M in seed funding to enhance its AI voice models, catering to over 8 million users with more than 15,000 natural language controls.
Quick Take
The startup, founded by ex-NVIDIA researcher Shijia Liao, aims to develop advanced models for creators and enterprises, addressing diverse voice requirements while ensuring consent and transparency in voice usage.
Key Points
- Fish Audio's library includes over 15,000 natural language controls.
- The startup has generated $21 million in annual recurring revenue.
- Five models launched in the past year, including four speech generation models.
- Automated DMCA takedown process for unauthorized voice uploads is now in place.
- Plans to release an audio understanding model and a speech-to-speech model this year.
DeepSignal Analysis
What happened
Fish Audio has secured $50 million in seed funding to advance its AI voice models, which currently serve over 8 million users. Founded by ex-NVIDIA researcher Shijia Liao, the startup offers over 15,000 natural language controls and has generated $21 million in annual recurring revenue.
Key evidence
- Fish Audio has launched five models in the past year, including four speech generation models and one speech-to-text model, with three of the speech generation models open-sourced.
- The company has automated its voice take-down process, allowing creators to remove their voices from the platform in under three minutes if they can prove ownership.
- The speech generation market is competitive, with notable companies like ElevenLabs and WellSaid vying for market share, indicating a crowded landscape for AI voice technologies.
Why it matters
The funding will enable Fish Audio to enhance its voice models, which are crucial for both creative and enterprise applications. As the demand for expressive and steerable AI voices grows, the startup's ability to address diverse user needs could position it favorably in a competitive market. Moreover, the emphasis on consent and transparency in voice usage reflects a growing awareness of ethical considerations in AI.
Source Excerpt
Since launching last year, the startup today has more than 8 million people using the open-source or hosted version of its models, and now generates annual recurring revenue of $21 million.
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