A new artificial intelligence startup founded by renowned AI researcher Yann LeCun has attracted major investment to build a different kind of AI system. AMI Labs has raised $1.03 billion at a $3.5 billion pre-money valuation to focus on developing “world models,” a type of AI designed to learn directly from real-world data rather than relying only on language-based training.
AMI Labs CEO Alexandre LeBrun believes this approach could soon become a major trend in the AI industry. “My prediction is that ‘world models’ will be the next buzzword,” he said. “In six months, every company will call itself a world model to raise funding.” Despite the rising interest, LeBrun emphasized that AMI Labs aims to build systems that truly understand the real world. One of the start-up’s early applications may appear in healthcare, where its first partner will be Nabla, the digital health startup where LeBrun currently serves as chairman.
The company’s research builds on JEPA (Joint Embedding Predictive Architecture), a framework proposed by LeCun in 2022. The goal is to overcome limitations seen in large language models, particularly hallucinations that can lead to inaccurate responses. However, LeBrun explained that AMI Labs is focused on fundamental research rather than quick product launches. “AMI Labs is a very ambitious project, because it starts with fundamental research. It’s not your typical applied AI startup that can release a product in three months, have revenue in six months and make $10 million in [annual recurring revenue] in 12 months.” He noted that it may take years before world models move from theory to commercial use.
The startup initially planned to raise around €500 million but eventually secured about €890 million, partly due to strong investor interest and the strength of its team. Along with LeCun as chairman and LeBrun as CEO, the company includes former Meta executive Laurent Solly as COO and several well-known AI researchers. The funding round was co-led by Cathay Innovation, Greycroft, Hiro Capital, HV Capital and Bezos Expeditions, with support from major investors and technology companies including Nvidia, Samsung, Sea, Temasek and Toyota Ventures. AMI Labs plans to build teams in Paris, New York, Montreal and Singapore, focusing on compute infrastructure and top research talent. Although the company does not plan to generate revenue immediately, it intends to test its models in real-world environments and collaborate with partners such as Nabla. The company also plans to publish research papers and release open-source code as it develops its technology. As LeBrun explained, “We think things move faster when they’re open and it’s in our best interest to build a community and a research ecosystem around us.”
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