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The AIGC craze resurges: Can entrepreneur Zheng Yi strike gold again?
The New Play of AIGC for Trendsetters
In recent years, the trends in the technology entrepreneurship field have been constantly changing. From the blockchain, artificial intelligence, and VR boom in 2017, to the current AIGC and Web3 trends, some keen entrepreneurs are always able to seize the opportunities of the times. Adam Zheng is one such entrepreneur at the forefront of the era.
The Rise of ObEN
In 2014, ObEN was founded in California, USA. The company focuses on VR avatar technology, with Nikhil Jain serving as CEO and Zheng Yi as COO. Zheng Yi was involved in the founding of Baihe.com and has rich investment experience.
ObEN quickly gained capital favor after its establishment. In 2016, it raised $7.7 million in Series A funding, in 2017 it received strategic financing led by SoftBank and Tencent, and in 2018 it completed $10 million in Series B funding from K11.
The Rise and Fall of Project PAI
In 2017, the blockchain craze swept the globe. The ObEN team seized the opportunity to launch the blockchain project Project PAI. This project claims to be the world's first personal artificial intelligence blockchain platform.
Project PAI raised approximately 1 billion RMB through private placement. In June 2018, the PAI token was listed on exchanges, and its price surged by 500% at one point. However, the good times did not last long, as PAI soon fell into a downward trend. By the end of 2022, the Project PAI blockchain ceased operation, and the PAI token became worthless.
Controversies and Questions
Project PAI has faced numerous doubts, including unclear relations with ObEN, inaccurate information about the technical team, and issues of code plagiarism. The project team has attempted to clarify through various means, but it remains difficult to eliminate external concerns.
The Subsequent Development of ObEN
Despite Project PAI being in trouble, ObEN continues to develop in the field of artificial intelligence. The company has collaborated with multiple institutions to launch a series of AI applications, such as SNH48 real AI and virtual hosts. However, in recent years, ObEN's public activities and information updates have noticeably decreased.
AIGC Chain: Old tricks again?
In 2023, AIGC became the hottest topic in the tech circle. A project called AIGC Chain emerged, and Zheng Yi appeared again in a core position of the project.
The operational model of AIGC Chain is quite similar to Project PAI:
AIGC Chain plans to issue tokens and NFTs, and the first round of NFT issuance has been completed. What will the project's future direction be, and can it help investors?