Artificial intelligence is one of the most transformative technologies of our time, with the potential to not only revolutionize industries but also improve people's lives. As an investment firm focused on foundational technologies, we have our finger on the pulse of the AI space not only through our expertise but in how we apply that expertise with our perpetual investment model that supports technologies that are redefining AI itself.
Screening for breakthrough solutions to fundamental unsolved technical bottlenecks and roadblocks is the key to strategic investing in AI. Within our AI practice area, we focus on Generalized AI/Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, Symbolic Intelligence, Machine Translation, Human Augmentation, and Emotional Intelligence—and are on the lookout for AI that defies current categories.
When we choose which AI innovations and entrepreneurs to invest in, we look for 2 key factors: a clear business plan and a proven application that can be nurtured to find multiple use cases. Identifying innovative technologies with the potential to grow beyond their initial use case and expand into other markets is what separates Aventurine from traditional VC investors. We support startups and founders as they carve out a foothold in their initial markets, helping them to achieve short-term success, and our unique IP licensing model allows them to maximize the potential of their technologies across many other markets.
One of the rapidly growing areas of innovation in AI is generative large language models, where ChatGPT is the most notable example. Generative AI is only one component to the AI puzzle. While these technologies are very impressive, we believe that ChatGPT and other existing language models today are not yet equipped to overcome a significant obstacle: understanding the meaning of language. Current models can simulate understanding by building a large enough database of related words and phrases, but they are limited in their ability to build out meaningful, intelligible conversations. They are known to embody biases of their creators and “hallucinate” or make mistakes in the generated text that are semantically or syntactically plausible but are in fact incorrect. At Aventurine, we are partnering with innovators that are building solutions to these problems, taking AI to the next level.
In addition to economic and technical factors, policy considerations are also essential to wide adoption and use of fundamental technologies such as AI. With AI in particular guardrails are necessary to safeguard society. As the use of initial AI models continues to expand, anticipating potential harm is not only responsible, it helps ensure that the technology is widely adopted.
In summary, Aventurine's investments in AI are driven by a deep understanding of the technology's potential to revolutionize industries and improve people's lives, and a clear understanding of the limitations of existing technologies. Through strategic investments in companies developing breakthrough AI technologies with promising commercial applications, Aventurine supports the development of innovative and responsible systems that represent the future of AI.