In today’s information age, it’s easier than ever to convince people something is true, regardless of whether it actually is. Companies that fall victim to the spread of misinformation concerning their business have encountered costly consequences like plummeting stock prices and rectification efforts.
Blackbird.AI aims to help businesses guard against online conspiracy theories and other forms of disinformation that could affect public perception. The company announced on Thursday that it closed on a $20 million Series B funding round led by Ten Eleven Ventures. The raise brings Blackbird’s total capital to $30 million and will allow it to expand its business and grow its platform.
Blackbird’s Constellation solution leverages artificial intelligence and data analytics to detect, measure and mitigate harmful internet content. It scours text, images and memes across the dark web, social media, news outlets and other channels for patterns and trends in narratives. It also pinpoints the risks these narratives contain and the ways in which those narratives spread. Constellation can flag things like bot accounts as well as toxicity and harmful language, Wasim Khaled, Blackbird’s CEO and co-founder, told Built In via email.
Companies can then view these insights on a dashboard and react to them before they manifest into physical or cyber threats that could jeopardize their brand reputation, their environmental, social and governance framework or their supply chain.
The goal is to “put power back in the hands” of companies in a time when misinformation and “warped realities” are all too common, Khaled said.
“The current information environment can often induce feelings of helplessness, as the scale of the problem seems insurmountable, but Blackbird aims to change this,” he continued. “Looking ahead, I am eager for that moment when our users realize their potential to make a difference in this battle of realities.”
Equipped with this fresh capital, Blackbird will scale its sales and marketing efforts and expand its platform into new markets. The company currently serves customers in the corporate intelligence, finance, public sector and brand safety spaces.
The funding will also help Blackbird enhance its Constellation platform and its newly launched RAV3N Co-Pilot tool, which uses generative AI to accelerate insights and recommendations, according to the company.
Blackbird will also continue growing its ecosystem through the Blackbird Global Alliance Program, which extends the company’s tech to business partners in the data, analytics and risk management sectors.
