Co-Founders of Eightfold Secure $35M for Viven, an AI Startup Creating Digital Twins for Accessing Unavailable Co-Workers

Revolutionizing Workplace Communication: Viven’s Digital Twin Technology

In today’s fast-paced work environment, effective communication is critical. However, when key team members are unavailable—whether on vacation or working across time zones—productivity suffers. Viven aims to change this dynamic.

Introducing Viven: A Game-Changer in Workforce Accessibility

Founded by Ashutosh Garg and Varun Kacholia, the minds behind the $2.1 billion AI recruiting startup Eightfold, Viven leverages the latest advances in Large Language Models (LLMs) and data privacy technologies to address these challenges. This innovative digital twin startup allows employees to access vital information from colleagues, even when they are not present.

Viven Emerges from Stealth Mode with Robust Backing

Recently launched, Viven secured $35 million in seed funding from prominent investors like Khosla Ventures, Foundation Capital, and FPV Ventures, marking a significant step in transforming workplace communication.

How Viven Creates Personalized Digital Twins

Viven builds a specialized LLM for each employee, essentially crafting a digital twin by analyzing their internal documents, including emails, Slack messages, and Google Docs. This allows other team members to query a colleague’s digital twin for immediate insights on shared projects, enhancing collaboration.

The Assurance of Privacy: Pairwise Context Technology

A critical concern is privacy, as employees often handle sensitive information. Viven addresses this through “pairwise context and privacy,” enabling LLMs to expertly manage what information can be shared and with whom, ensuring confidentiality while promoting accessibility.

Maintaining Integrity: Safeguards Against Inappropriate Queries

Viven’s system is designed to understand personal contexts, filtering out sensitive topics and protecting employee privacy. Each user has access to their digital twin’s query history, acting as a deterrent against inappropriate inquiries.

Strong Demand: Early Adoption by Major Enterprises

Viven is already in action at several enterprise-level clients including Genpact and Eightfold, demonstrating its potential to reshape workplace dynamics. Both Garg and Kacholia continue to balance their efforts between leading Eightfold and Viven.

Facing Competition: Viven’s Unique Market Position

Garg asserts that Viven stands alone in the digital twin market for enterprises. His discussions with Vinod Khosla confirmed the absence of direct competitors, which led to Khosla’s investment.

Future Landscape: Anticipating Market Changes

While there are no immediate rivals, Garg acknowledges that other tech giants like Anthropic, Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI could eventually explore similar offerings. Viven aims to maintain its edge through its innovative pairwise context technology.

Sure! Here are five FAQs based on the fundraising news about Viven, the AI digital twin startup co-founded by Eightfold’s founders:

FAQ 1: What is Viven?

Answer: Viven is an AI digital twin startup focused on creating virtual representations of co-workers, allowing users to query unavailable team members for insights, knowledge, and decisions, enhancing collaboration and productivity.

FAQ 2: How much funding did Viven raise?

Answer: Viven successfully raised $35 million in funding, which will be used to further develop its technology and expand its market reach.

FAQ 3: Who are the co-founders of Viven?

Answer: Viven was co-founded by the founders of Eightfold, a company known for its innovative approaches in AI and talent management, leveraging their expertise to drive Viven’s vision.

FAQ 4: What problem does Viven aim to solve?

Answer: Viven addresses the challenge of accessibility to knowledge and expertise when co-workers are unavailable. By creating digital twins, Viven enables teams to glean valuable insights even in the absence of key personnel.

FAQ 5: How does Viven’s technology work?

Answer: Viven’s technology utilizes AI to create digital replicas of individuals based on their knowledge, communication styles, and decision-making patterns. This allows users to interact with these digital twins to access information and insights as if they were conversing with the actual co-worker.

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Beware of Coworkers Who Generate AI-Driven ‘Workslop’

Unveiling “Workslop”: The Dangers of Low-Quality AI-Generated Content

A recent study by BetterUp Labs in partnership with the Stanford Social Media Lab introduces a concerning new term: “workslop.”

What is Workslop?

According to a revealing article published in the Harvard Business Review, workslop refers to “AI-generated work content that pretends to be high quality but lacks the substance needed to effectively complete a task.”

The Impact of Workslop on Organizations

Researchers from BetterUp Labs point to workslop as a significant factor behind the overwhelming 95% of organizations that have experimented with AI yet report seeing no return on their investment. They note that workslop can be “unhelpful, incomplete, or lack essential context,” leading to increased workloads for employees.

The Hidden Burden of Workslop

The researchers highlight the deeper issue of workslop by explaining, “Its insidious nature shifts the burden downstream, demanding that the recipient interpret, correct, or completely redo the work.”

Prevalence of Workslop Among Employees

In a survey conducted among 1,150 full-time U.S.-based employees, researchers found that 40% of respondents reported encountering workslop in the past month, underscoring the issue’s widespread nature.

How to Combat Workslop in the Workplace

To mitigate the effects of workslop, researchers recommend that workplace leaders “model purposeful and intentional AI use” and “establish clear guidelines for teams regarding acceptable practices.”

Here are five FAQs regarding the concept of "workslop" generated by AI:

FAQ 1: What is "workslop"?

Q: What does the term "workslop" refer to in the context of AI-generated content?
A: "Workslop" refers to low-quality or subpar output produced by AI tools, often lacking depth, accuracy, or relevance. This content can result from poor prompts or minimal human oversight.

FAQ 2: How can I identify AI-generated workslop in my team’s output?

Q: What are some signs that indicate a coworker’s work might be AI-generated "workslop"?
A: Look for generic responses, lack of specific detail, inconsistent style, and factual inaccuracies. Additionally, if the content feels overly formulaic or lacks a personal touch, it might be AI-generated.

FAQ 3: What are the risks of relying on AI-generated workslop?

Q: Why is it important to be cautious of AI-generated workslop in a professional setting?
A: Relying on workslop can lead to misleading information, decreased team productivity, and potential damage to an organization’s reputation. It may also undermine the value of human creativity and critical thinking.

FAQ 4: How can I improve the quality of AI-generated work?

Q: What steps can I take to ensure that AI-generated content is of higher quality?
A: Provide clear and specific prompts, review and edit the output for accuracy and relevancy, and combine AI-generated content with human insights. Collaboration with AI should enhance rather than replace human contribution.

FAQ 5: What should I do if I encounter workslop from a coworker?

Q: How should I address the issue if I notice a coworker consistently produces AI-generated workslop?
A: Approach the situation with constructive feedback. Encourage open discussions about the importance of quality in work and suggest resources for improving AI usage. Promote a culture of collaboration and learning to elevate overall standards.

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