PixVerse, an AI video generator based in Singapore, is setting up its first US office in Bellevue, Wash., and on Monday released a new version of its model.
Earlier this month the startup announced a Series C round of $300 million that raised its value to more than $1 billion and unicorn territory. Undisclosed sources cited by Bloomberg said the funds will help “accelerate its global growth and target enterprise customers across North America and Asia.”
John will lead the Seattle area office as US general manager, architect and chief operating officer. He’s PixVerse’s first and so far only US employee, but he’s making promises of work and hopes to build a team of six within the next few months. The Bellevue office will focus on marketing and product sales, with plans to expand into AI research and engineering this summer.
He is working part-time at extraSlice’s co-working space while looking for a permanent office in downtown Bellevue.
The company launched in 2024 and has at least 110 employees across its offices in Singapore and Beijing, he said. There are also plans to open a second US office in San Francisco.
Key investors in PixVerse include Alibaba Capital Partners, Ant Group and 37 Interactive Entertainment, according to PitchBook.
He joined the startup from Salesforce, saying he was attracted to PixVerse’s mission.
“It’s very simple,” he said. “They want to turn everyone’s imagination into reality.”
AI video production tools have caused huge debates about ethics, misuse and sustainability. That includes concerns and legal challenges about deepfakes, copyright infringement and improper use of intellectual property. There are also significant environmental costs in energy and water consumption given the high computing demands of AI video production.
He defended the technology, saying that it is not intended to replace human art and that artists using PixVerse are able to increase their income.
“It empowers ordinary people to do a better job,” he said.
PixVerse claims to have more than 100 million users in 175 countries. Its latest model adds “precise camera control, expressive character functionality, and one-of-a-kind commercial releases,” the company said.
Last week, The Wall Street Journal and others reported that OpenAI was shutting down Sora, its AI video production platform used by consumers, filmmakers and other professionals. The decision, the WSJ said, will allow OpenAI to focus on enterprise productivity tools and individual users.
OpenAI employees in the past have questioned the computing costs of Sora’s technology and unproven demand from customers, the WSJ added.
Other competitors in the space include Runway ML, Kling AI, Higgsfield and products from Google and Adobe.
