Summary:
Meta acquires AI voice startup WaveForms to bolster its Superintelligence Labs
WaveForms raised $40M at a $160M pre-money valuation just eight months after founding
Co-founders Alexis Conneau and Coralie Lemaitre join Meta, bringing expertise from OpenAI and Google
Startup focused on Speech Turing Test and Emotional General Intelligence
Meta's second AI audio acquisition in a month, signaling strong focus on voice technology
Meta has made a significant leap in the AI audio space by acquiring WaveForms, a startup specializing in AI voice technology, for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition marks Meta's second major move in the AI audio sector within a month, following its purchase of PlayAI.
Image Credits: Meta / Meta
The Rise of WaveForms
Founded just eight months ago, WaveForms quickly made a name for itself, raising $40 million in a funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz, which valued the company at $160 million pre-money. The startup's focus was on solving the Speech Turing Test and developing Emotional General Intelligence, aiming to blur the lines between human and AI-generated speech.
Key Players Joining Meta
Two of WaveForms' co-founders, Alexis Conneau (a former researcher at Meta and OpenAI) and Coralie Lemaitre (ex-Google advertising strategist), have reportedly joined Meta. Conneau's work on GPT4-o Advanced Voice Mode neural networks at OpenAI highlights the expertise Meta is bringing in-house.
What's Next for WaveForms?
While the website of WaveForms has been taken down, the implications of this acquisition for its 14-member team and the third co-founder, Kartikay Khandelwal, remain unclear. This move underscores Meta's commitment to advancing its AI capabilities, particularly in voice and emotional intelligence technologies.
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