Steven Bartlett is using AI to create and host his latest podcast. The Diary of a CEO star has launched “100 CEOs with Steven Bartlett,” an animated documentary-style series hosted by Bartlett’s AI voice clone. The series features high-profile business figures like Richard Branson and Elon Musk. While Bartlett writes the initial scripts, the rest of the production is handled by AI, Business Insider reports. His company, FlightStory Studio, used tech from AI firms Runway, ElevenLabs, and Wondercraft. Creating hosts using AI The “100 CEOs” show doesn’t shy away from the fact
SpreeAI, the fashion tech startup redefining virtual shopping experiences, has reached a $1.5 billion valuation after a recent funding round led by The Davidson Group. The AI-powered fashion app allows users to virtually allows users to try on clothes in an experience so lifelike it feels like you’re in a real dressing room. Designed for use both in-store and online, SpreeAI blends cutting-edge technology with real-world retail to transform how consumers shop and how brands sell. SpreeAI valued at $1.5 billion Co-founded and led by CEO John Imah, SpreeAI has
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and Proparco, a member of the World Bank Group, announced an equity investment of up to $50 million in Helios Sports and Entertainment (“HSEG”), an investment vehicle dedicated to sport, media and entertainment across Africa. HSEG aims to foster a more dynamic sport and entertainment ecosystem in Africa by collaborating with its four partners: NBA Africa, The Malachite Group (Afro Nation), PFL Africa, and Zaria Group. IFC and Proparco invest in African sport The IFC commited $30 million of the equity investment,
pgLang, the creative company founded by Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free, is launching a new initiative called Project 3, aimed at expanding its creative offerings for businesses. At the heart of this venture is Project 3 Agency, a full-service agency providing creative direction, content creation, production services, brand design, and strategic consulting. According to Fast Company, the move follows pgLang’s acquisition of Frosty, an international creative studio and longtime collaborator. The acquisition was instrumental in building the agency. “For us, it was like, how do we build foundational structures for
Kava, a Nollywood streaming platform, is set to launch in August 2025 with over 30 Nollywood titles. The platform is a partnership between Inkblot Studios and Filmhouse Group, according to Deadline. “Kava is more than a streaming service. It’s a bold new chapter for Nollywood, designed to meet the growing demand for premium, authentic African content and to redefine how the world experiences our stories,” Kava Co-CEO Chinaza Onuzo said. “By giving both rising and establishing talent a trusted, lucrative stage to tell their stories, we’re building a platform that doesn’t
Black-owned social media network Fanbase has reached $12.7 million of its $17 million equity crowdfunding campaign. Founder Isaac Hayes III announced the milestone in an Instagram post, saying, “This raise is part of a larger mission to democratize ownership in the social media space.” Hayes is shifting away from traditional venture capital and turning to the community for investors, as the public now has the opportunity to own a stake in the platform. Fanbase’s equity crowdfunding campaign It reached $10 million of its equity crowdfunding campaign in 2024, which reportedly made Hayes
Sports tech company, Ballin AI, just announced the close of a $500,000 angel round. The startup, founded by Division I athlete Nyla Pollard, analyzes players’ gameplay to help them improve their performance and increase their recruitment chances. After players upload their film, the footage is examined by a nationally recognized evaluator, who then scores it across various criteria, including defense, shooting, rebounding, scoring, transition, ball handling, and finishing. How does Ballin AI work? “We created Ballin because every athlete deserves the opportunity to have the information they need to develop
Vogue is receiving backlash for the use of an AI-generated model in its August issue. The double-page Guess advertisement, created by AI marketing agency Seraphinne Vallora, features a blonde model wearing two different outfits. Seraphinne Vallora specializes in “editorial-level AI-driven marketing campaigns and cinematic videos.” The agency has previously worked on editorial shoots featured in Harper’s Bazaar and Elle. Seraphinne Vallora told the BBC that it created 10 draft models for Guess cofounder Paul Marciano, who ultimately selected one brunette and one blonde. When asked about the choice of race for the model,
Live Nation Urban has launched the Live Nation Urban Creator Network in partnership with Breakr, a creator marketing and payments platform. The national network will be powered by a tailored collective of thousands of top Black creators and backed by Breakr’s broader database of 75,000+ creators and 55 million data points. Live Nation will be able to provide brands with an innovative media channel that is culturally relevant and instantly scalable. “As brands increasingly looked to us to help them connect authentically with Black audiences, even outside the context of our events, it became
Green Book Global, the first Black travel review mobile app, and EatOkra, an app for discovering Black-owned restaurants, are collaborating to add over 2,500 Black-owned restaurants into Green Book Global’s Driving While Black Road Trip Planner. With this new partnership, travellers will be able to use the Green Book Global app or website to add Black-owned restaurants from EatOkra straight to their road trip commutes across the US. “This collaboration is about more than food. It’s about culture, safety, and creating a network of trusted spaces for Black travelers as
