New "AI" post on TechCrunch: Dataminr, the $4B big data startup, is laying off 20% of staff today, or 150 people, as it preps to double down on AI https://ift.tt/qmrAG1h
Generative AI is fueling the recovery of European SaaS
New "AI" post on TechCrunch: Generative AI is fueling the recovery of European SaaS https://ift.tt/Ei15aFL
Solve Intelligence helps attorneys draft patents for IP analysis and generation
New "AI" post on TechCrunch: Solve Intelligence helps attorneys draft patents for IP analysis and generation https://ift.tt/LvcuK8V
SettleMint’s AI assistant aims to help web3 developers write better smart contracts
The way artificial intelligence can write software has already prompted many companies to introduce code-generating products, so it’s no surprise that SettleMint, a low-code blockchain programming tool for enterprises, recently added an AI assistant to its platform.
The AI assistant, which arrived about nine months after SettleMint announced its 16 million euro Series A funding round, promises to help developers create smart contracts, integrate data, and enhance quality assurance (QA) testing.
Despite a climate where digital currency prices have nosedived, the seven-year-old Belgium company is seeing steady user growth as more enterprises are recognizing the benefits of blockchain technology but lack the technical skills to bring their ideas to fruition.
In a survey done by the programmer Q&A site Stack Overflow, only 1% of the respondents reported having done extensive work in Solidity, the programming language used to write smart contracts, which are self-executing digital contracts built on blockchains, normally Ethereum.
SettleMint didn’t create the AI assistant to replace humans, said Roderik van der Veer, co-founder and CTO at SettleMint. The AI could help draft smart contracts, but its real value is explaining what each line of code does.
“If you understand a piece of code, you know where you get it wrong,” said van der Veer. “So instead of having to look at the screen and trying to Google whatever you see, and processing all [the information on] the internet in your mind and [use] your Google skills to form a conclusion of what could be wrong, it does it for you.”
While the AI assistant can suggest modifications to avoid vulnerabilities, the code won’t be bug-free, said van der Veer. Technical audits are still necessary, especially given the complexity of blockchain systems. But having SettleMint as the first layer of screening means auditors can spend more time on the “non-trivial” parts of the code to debug, the founder suggested.
SettleMint is training the AI assistant mostly on OpenAI’s GPT-4 and supplying it with up-to-date information on blockchain development, which is transforming rapidly with frequent technical upgrades.
Product screenshot of SettleMint’s new AI assistant. Image: SettleMint
The “crypto winter” hasn’t had an adverse impact on SettleMint, which has been “growing quite a bit” in lead generation and signed contracts with sales multiplying 3-4x this year, according to van der Veer. Changing customer behavior also reflects a maturing of the enterprise blockchain space, as its users went from mostly “small teams within companies doing a specific project” to much larger groups undergoing “huge internal training.”
Companies are also using smart contracts for different purposes in crypto’s market downturn. NFT use cases, observed van der Veer, are moving away from collectibles towards practical use cases such as ticketing and guarantees as proof of ownership.
With offices in Leuven, Dubai, New Delhi, Singapore and Tokyo, SettleMint is pushing steadily into Asia with funding from the Japanese electronics giant Fujitsu, while it sees “a lot of growth” in the Middle East.
https://ift.tt/fsr70H6Mobile website builder Universe launches AI-powered designer
Universe, the no-code mobile website builder, announced today that it’s launching an AI-powered website designer in beta. The designer, called GUS (Generative Universe Sites), can help anyone build and launch a custom website from their iOS device.
Once you get started with GUS, you will enter the familiar Universe grid editor. Instead of starting with a template, you start a text conversation with GUS to begin creating your website. GUS will start by asking: “What kind of website would you like to build today?” Once you give GUS some initial details about the type of website you would like to build, GUS will ask you for a bit of information about what exactly you’re looking. For instance, GUS may ask if you have a specific design or color scheme in mind, or if you have an idea of how many pages you would like on the website.
After you give GUS details about your vision for the website, GUS will create a layout for you. The layout is completely editable, as you can manually change things without having to touch any bits of code. For instance, if you want to change an image that GUS selected, you can go in and swap it with a different one. Once you’re happy with what you see, you can go ahead and publish your website.
“When we set out to develop what would ultimately become Universe, our mission was clear – to empower anyone to build the internet,” said Universe founder and CEO Joseph Cohen in a statement. “Generative AI lets us do this at an entirely new level: just tell GUS what’s in your mind and it’ll build it for you. Now, everyone on our iOS app can try the GUS beta. We hope we can give everyone the confidence and design support—from tattoo artists to general contractors to students to pragmatists to visionaries—to claim their corner of the internet with the computer they already carry around in their pocket every day.”
The GUS Beta is currently available to all users who update their Universe app on iOS. Universe plans to bring the experience to the web in the near future to give users without an iPhone or those who prefer desktop the ability to access GUS.
Universe’s new tool is similar to one launched by Wix earlier this month, which is called the AI Site Generator. The tool allows users to describe their intent and generate a website complete with a homepage, inner pages and text and images — as well as business-specific sections for events, bookings and more.
One of the main ideas behind both companies’ products is to help small and medium-sized businesses launch and maintain websites to drive sales, which can be a challenging process. For context, a 2022 survey by Top Design Firms, a directory for finding creative agencies, found that nearly 27% of small businesses still don’t have a website and that low traffic, followed by adding “advanced” functionalities and cost, are the top challenges they face with their website.
Of course, the products aren’t only geared and marketed towards business-owners, as they can be used by anyone to create a website easily.
“Universe continues to champion inclusivity and accessibility in web design, and GUS marks a significant milestone in this journey,” Universe wrote in a press release. “With its AI-powered capabilities, GUS opens doors for individuals from all walks of life to bring their creative visions to life on the digital canvas.”
Founded in 2014, Universe has raised $47.3 million in funding to date, according to Crunchbase. The company raised $30 million in December 2021 as part of its Series B round from Google Ventures, Javelin Venture Partners, Box Group and more. Universe closed a $10 million Series A from Google Ventures back in April 2020.
https://ift.tt/zvFpsgc