The internet has trust issues, and it’s not just because our social media feeds are filled with AI slop. AI-generated text and images are now being used in job applications, product reviews, and even insurance claims, leaving platforms and users alike scrambling to determine what’s real.
Over the past few years, several startups have emerged that provide the necessary “layer of trust” for the Internet. This includes Pangram. The startup recently invested $9 million in its AI detection system and entered into a partnership with Substack. Substack is now leveraging Pangram’s technology to show readers that their favorite authors are writing newsletters using AI. Pangram also recently released a new AI image detection tool.
In this episode of TechCrunch’s Equity Podcast, Max Spero, co-founder and CEO of Pangram, joins Rebecca Bellan to dig into the potential of AI detection tools and where to draw the line between AI-assisted and AI-generated.
Listen to the full episode to hear more about what’s next.
Why Spero thinks the internet could be “dangerously close” to making the dead internet theory a reality within a few years. Why is knowing how much an AI contributed to something more difficult, and potentially more useful, than simply classifying it as AI or human? Erroneous AI detections can be dangerous, especially when the false positives involve sensitive images. Spero believes that while the “lower class” of writers’ work may disappear forever, the value of truly great human writing may increase.
Subscribe to Equity on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, and all casts. You can also follow Equity on X and Threads at @EquityPod.
