Wonder Studios, a startup and self-described “AI-native studio” has secured $12m (£9m) in a seed funding round.
The London-based firm is developing technology to increase the involvement of AI in the creative process. Wonder’s chief executive Xavier Collins described the company as the “entertainment studio for the new era”.
Having launched only half a year ago, the startup has already achieved early commercial success. Wonder announced its first pre-seed raise of over £2m the month of its launch and has since gone on to work on the music video for Lewis Capaldi’s Something in the Heavens.
The video was generated largely with AI and created via a partnership between Wonder, DeepMind, YouTube and Universal Music. Capaldi’s use of AI in his music video sparked a backlash from fans of the artist over concerns that the technology could take the work of real creatives.
“At the heart of our vision is combining Hollywood filmmaking excellence with AI-powered creative freedom, empowering both established directors and emerging creators to tell their most ambitious stories,” Collins said.
As well as developing AI tools for use in the production of film and video, the company is also attempting to curate what it calls a community of AI-native creators. It is doing so via the Wonder app, a digital hub connecting various people using AI in entertainment.
The new investment round was led by Atomico alongside existing investors LocalGlobe and Blackbird.
“Wonder captures the magic that happens when Hollywood artistry meets the power of AI, right when the industry is searching for a new model” said Ben Blume, partner at Atomico.
“Xavier and Justin have the rare combination of marketplace and community building experience, creative brilliance, and technical execution capability needed to create the entertainment studio for the next generation. Their incredible traction validates that the market is ready for their unique approach.”
Wonder has also been backed by Adobe Ventures, Upside Ventures – the VC arm of the YouTuber group Sidemen, among other figures in content creation.