Google Secretly Buys Twitter-Backed AI Avatar Startup 'Alter' for $100 Million

In an effort to enhance its content game and compete with TikTok, Google has purchased Alter, an artificial intelligence (AI) avatar business that enables creators and brands to express their virtual identity, for roughly $100 million, according to a report by TechCrunch.

The source who spoke in anonymity with TechCrunch said that deal was already finished two months ago, however, both entities did not announce the acquisition publicly.

Although they have not yet acknowledged the acquisition, some of Alter's top executives changed their LinkedIn profiles to reflect their new employment with Google.

However, a Google representative recently confirmed to TechCrunch that the business has indeed acquired Alter, but the spokesperson did not elaborate further specifics of the transaction.

Alter began as Facemoji, a platform that provided plug-and-play technology to assist game and app developers to integrate avatar systems into their products.

Alter has offices in the United States and the Czech Republic. Play Ventures, Roosh Ventures, Twitter, and other investors contributed $3 million to the startup's seed funding.

But later on, Facemoji decided to rebrand itself as Alter.

Google's AI Investments

Google has made significant investments in its AI technology in recent years. The company is putting AI at the heart of its line of products, which range from language learning models to image generators, as noted by CNET.

For instance, Google uses AI in its search engine to assist users in both filtering out undesirable results and assisting those who are dealing with personal difficulties.

Google is also incorporating AI processing units into its hardware, such as the recently unveiled Pixel 7, to improve the phone's ability to interpret photographs or translate speech.

The company's short-form video platform, YouTube Shorts, which was created to compete with TikTok, is giving Google's social media ambitions a fresh lease. Sometime in the future, there's a possibility that Google Avatars might be integrated with Shorts.

Digital Avatar Trend

Alter seeks to create AI-generated avatars of persons and the clothes and accessories they wear. For instance, a user can purchase an NFT of a fancy purse or any accessories to adorn their avatar.

According to the startup's LinkedIn profile: "Alter is an open source, cross-platform [software development kit (SDK)] consisting of a real-time 3D avatar system and motion capture built from scratch for web3 interoperability and the open metaverse."

Avatars are also being used by Meta Platforms to connect user identities across all of its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and other services.

In fact, the company built a virtual apparel store so that customers could buy designer outfits for their avatars. Users can customize their avatars to play games, exercise, take part in conference calls, and perform other activities.

Video conference call platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom are also following the trend of virtual avatars which let users use their digital counterparts during video calls.

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla