Civitai
Generative AI platform
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Civitai is an online platform and marketplace for generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) content, primarily focused on AI-generated images and models, and AI-generated videos.
| |
Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Artificial intelligence |
| Founded | 2022 |
| Founders | Justin Maier |
| Headquarters | Boise, Idaho |
| Website | civitai |
History
Civitai was founded in 2022 by Justin Maier.[1][2] By January 2023, the site reached 100,000 registered users and 3 million by November.[2] In November 2023, Civitai secured funding from venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.[2] By April 2024, Civitai had 23.2 million monthly accesses.[3]
The company is headquartered in Boise, Idaho.[4]
Platform
Civitai allows users to share and download AI models, particularly those used for image generation.[2] The platform supports various AI models, including Stable Diffusion and Flux, and provides a space for users to showcase and monetize their AI-generated content.[2][5] Users have profile pages and can comment on other users' models and images.[6]
The website also features a virtual currency called Buzz that can be used to generate images on Civitai's servers.[7] Buzz can be bought or earned by engaging with the site.[7]
The platform is open source.[8][9]
Controversies
In 2023, 404 Media reported that Civitai began a "Bounties" marketplace where users could commission deepfakes, of real or fake people.[10][7] Users are rewarded with Buzz for completing Bounties.[7]
In December 2023, AI provider OctoML announced it had ended its business relationship with Civitai after concerns were raised users were generating images that “could be categorized as child pornography.”[11]