[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"nav-categories":3,"article-ai-shovels-for-ai-gold-rush-french-startup-arcads-ai-raises-16m-on-api-wrappers-alone":70},{"data":4},[5,37,57,64],{"name":6,"slug":7,"categories":8},"Productivity","productivity",[9,13,17,21,25,29,33],{"id":10,"title":11,"slug":12},17,"Branding","branding",{"id":14,"title":15,"slug":16},19,"Marketing","marketing",{"id":18,"title":19,"slug":20},20,"Work","work",{"id":22,"title":23,"slug":24},34,"Community","community",{"id":26,"title":27,"slug":28},21,"For newbies","for-newbies",{"id":30,"title":31,"slug":32},24,"Investment","investment",{"id":34,"title":35,"slug":36},22,"Finance","finance",{"name":38,"slug":39,"categories":40},"Tech","tech",[41,45,49,53],{"id":42,"title":43,"slug":44},28,"Technology","technology",{"id":46,"title":47,"slug":48},32,"Artificial Intelligence","artificial-intelligence",{"id":50,"title":51,"slug":52},26,"Security and protection","security-and-protection",{"id":54,"title":55,"slug":56},31,"YouTube Blog","youtube-blog",{"name":58,"slug":59,"categories":60},"News","news",[61],{"id":62,"title":58,"slug":63},18,"quasanews",{"name":65,"slug":66,"categories":67},"Business","business",[68],{"id":69,"title":65,"slug":66},16,{"post":71,"published_news":97,"popular_news":164,"categories":235},{"title":72,"description":73,"meta_title":72,"meta_description":74,"meta_keywords":75,"text":76,"slug":77,"created_at":78,"publish_at":79,"formatted_created_at":80,"category_id":62,"links":81,"view_type":86,"video_url":87,"views":88,"likes":89,"lang":90,"comments_count":89,"category":91},"AI Shovels for AI Gold Rush: French Startup Arcads AI Raises $16M on API Wrappers Alone","In the frenzy of the AI boom, where everyone's chasing foundational models and massive compute, a quiet French startup is proving that sometimes the real money is in selling picks and shovels — or in this case, AI-powered ad generators.","a quiet French startup is proving that sometimes the real money is in selling picks and shovels - or in this case, AI-powered ad generators.","Arcads.ai exemplifies the \"AI shovel\" playbook: Leverage open APIs, target a paying vertical (ads never sleep), and scale lean.","\u003Cp>In the frenzy of the AI boom, where everyone's chasing foundational models and massive compute, a quiet French startup is proving that sometimes the real money is in selling picks and shovels - or in this case, \u003Cstrong>AI-powered ad generators\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cpicture class=\"image-align-right\">\u003Csource srcset=\"https://cdn.quasa.io/photos/00/image-2025-12-21t141937241.webp\" type=\"image/webp\">\u003Cimg alt=\"AI Shovels for AI Gold Rush: French Startup Arcads AI Raises M on API Wrappers Alone\" class=\"image-align-right\" height=\"169\" src=\"https://cdn.quasa.io/photos/00/image-2025-12-21t141937241.jpg\" width=\"300\" />\u003C/picture>\u003C/strong>\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/projects/arcads-ai\">\u003Cstrong>Arcads.ai\u003C/strong>\u003C/a>, founded by Dylan Fournier and Romain Torres, just closed a \u003Cstrong>$16 million seed round\u003C/strong> led by Eurazeo, with participation from Alpha Intelligence Capital and the Sequoia Scout program. The announcement came on December 17, 2025, marking a rapid ascent for a company that's already profitable and bootstrapped its way to impressive traction.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Arcads.ai isn't building its own large language models or fine-tuning from scratch. Instead, it cleverly orchestrates existing APIs to create hyper-realistic UGC-style video ads featuring AI actors. Users input a script, select or customize an avatar, and out pops a polished video - complete with product demos, fashion try-ons, unboxings, or app showcases - in over \u003Cstrong>35 languages\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cpicture class=\"image-align-left\">\u003Csource srcset=\"https://cdn.quasa.io/photos/00/image-2025-12-21t142012913.webp\" type=\"image/webp\">\u003Cimg alt=\"AI Shovels for AI Gold Rush: French Startup Arcads AI Raises M on API Wrappers Alone\" class=\"image-align-left\" height=\"447\" src=\"https://cdn.quasa.io/photos/00/image-2025-12-21t142012913.jpg\" width=\"300\" />\u003C/picture>The magic? A library of \u003Cstrong>over 1,000 AI-generated actors\u003C/strong> touted as the "most realistic" for user-generated content, capable of holding products, expressing emotions via text prompts, and soon auto-editing with B-rolls, music, and captions.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>No proprietary LoRA, no custom training - just smart integration and a user-friendly interface. As one Reddit critic quipped, it's essentially a "wrapper" funded at unicorn speeds.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Yet, the numbers don't lie: Launched in early 2024 with a tiny team (now seven people), Arcads boasts \u003Cstrong>over 6,000 clients - \u003C/strong>including D2C brands, billion-dollar app studios, and agencies - and generates \u003Cstrong>100,000+ videos monthly\u003C/strong>. Earlier reports pegged revenue growth from zero to \u003Cstrong>$13 million in 18 months\u003C/strong>, with projections hitting $100 million soon.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Founders Fournier and Torres, veterans of a marketing agency and mobile app studio, spotted the pain point firsthand: Marketing teams drown in the need for endless, testable video variants amid skyrocketing ad costs on TikTok and Instagram. Arcads democratizes this, enabling rapid iteration without cameras or crews. Client testimonials highlight boosts like +195% revenue or millions in views from sponsored campaigns.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>The $16M infusion will fuel U.S. expansion (including a San Francisco office), platform enhancements, and broader video capabilities. As co-CEO Dylan Fournier put it: "We're already profitable - this funding accelerates our growth, especially stateside."\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Chr />\n\u003Ch4>\u003Cstrong>Why Advertising Pays Now\u003C/strong>\u003C/h4>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cpicture class=\"image-align-right\">\u003Csource srcset=\"https://cdn.quasa.io/photos/00/image-2025-12-21t142011277.webp\" type=\"image/webp\">\u003Cimg alt=\"AI Shovels for AI Gold Rush: French Startup Arcads AI Raises M on API Wrappers Alone\" class=\"image-align-right\" height=\"447\" src=\"https://cdn.quasa.io/photos/00/image-2025-12-21t142011277.jpg\" width=\"300\" />\u003C/picture>This raise underscores a broader truth in AI\u003C/strong>: While frontier labs burn billions on next-gen models, applied tools for immediate ROI - especially in advertising - attract capital fast. Performance marketers pay premium for scalable creatives that convert today, not hypothetical AGI tomorrow. Custom avatars? Table stakes in 2025. But packaging it seamlessly for non-techies? That's the moat.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Critics question efficacy - does AI UGC truly outperform human influencers, or is it just cheaper? Early data from Arcads' case studies suggests strong ROAS, but independent benchmarks are scarce. In a market flooded with similar tools, differentiation comes from execution speed and realism.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https://www.arcads.ai/\">Arcads.ai\u003C/a> exemplifies the "AI shovel" playbook: Leverage open APIs, target a paying vertical (ads never sleep), and scale lean. With VCs betting big on wrappers that work, expect more such stories. After all, in a gold rush, the suppliers often strike it richest.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Also read:\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cul>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/netflix-acquires-ready-player-me-a-step-toward-gaming-avatars-and-a-metaverse-ambition\">Netflix Acquires Ready Player Me: A Step Toward Gaming Avatars—and a Metaverse Ambition?\u003C/a>\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/do-kwon-sentenced-to-15-years-the-fall-of-terra-s-crypto-empire-and-its-40-billion-aftermath\">Do Kwon Sentenced to 15 Years: The Fall of Terra's Crypto Empire and Its $40 Billion Aftermath\u003C/a>\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/apple-tv-s-android-app-adds-google-cast-a-subtle-dig-at-netflix-s-recent-restrictions\">Apple TV's Android App Adds Google Cast: A Subtle Dig at Netflix's Recent Restrictions\u003C/a>\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\n\u003Cp>Author: \u003Ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/slava-vasipenok/\">Slava Vasipenok\u003C/a>\u003Cbr />\nFounder and CEO of QUASA (quasa.io) - Daily insights on Web3, AI, Crypto, and Freelance. Stay updated on finance, technology trends, and creator tools - with sources and real value.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Innovative entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in IT, fintech, and blockchain. Specializes in decentralized solutions for freelancing, helping to overcome the barriers of traditional finance, especially in developing regions.\u003C/p>","ai-shovels-for-ai-gold-rush-french-startup-arcads-ai-raises-16m-on-api-wrappers-alone","2025-12-21T13:21:23.000000Z","2026-01-06T03:13:00.000000Z","06.01.2026",{"image":82,"image_webp":83,"thumb":84,"thumb_webp":85},"https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/Qa4f4gBpPQVnDnX69nKg0OQMIoMbGGRRgvoyhqL4.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/Qa4f4gBpPQVnDnX69nKg0OQMIoMbGGRRgvoyhqL4.webp","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/Qa4f4gBpPQVnDnX69nKg0OQMIoMbGGRRgvoyhqL4.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/Qa4f4gBpPQVnDnX69nKg0OQMIoMbGGRRgvoyhqL4.webp","small",null,1332,0,"en",{"id":62,"title":58,"slug":63,"meta_title":92,"meta_description":93,"meta_keywords":94,"deleted_at":87,"created_at":95,"updated_at":96,"lang":90},"Quasa News: Latest Updates, AI & Tech Announcements | QUASA","Daily news and deep analysis on AI, cryptocurrencies, and key business trends. Find out what's next for the markets. Stay informed with QUASA.","AI news, crypto news, blockchain news, IT news, market analysis, business trends, latest technology news today, artificial intelligence news, major crypto events, future of tech news","2021-08-09T19:09:44.000000Z","2026-04-22T15:16:57.000000Z",[98,113,126,138,151],{"title":99,"description":100,"slug":101,"created_at":102,"publish_at":103,"formatted_created_at":104,"category":105,"links":106,"view_type":86,"video_url":87,"views":111,"likes":89,"lang":90,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":112},"Death Tech in China: Family Creates AI Clone of Deceased Son to Protect Elderly Mother with Heart Condition","In a poignant and increasingly common example of “death tech” in China, a family has turned to artificial intelligence to shield an 80-year-old woman from the devastating news of her only son’s death.","death-tech-in-china-family-creates-ai-clone-of-deceased-son-to-protect-elderly-mother-with-heart-condition","2026-04-22T08:14:27.000000Z","2026-04-25T11:07:00.000000Z","25.04.2026",{"title":43,"slug":44},{"image":107,"image_webp":108,"thumb":109,"thumb_webp":110},"https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/eCGL1N69PAahxTbJqNJH7pcF8DfWS4DsVRHmZ7pC.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/eCGL1N69PAahxTbJqNJH7pcF8DfWS4DsVRHmZ7pC.webp","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/eCGL1N69PAahxTbJqNJH7pcF8DfWS4DsVRHmZ7pC.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/eCGL1N69PAahxTbJqNJH7pcF8DfWS4DsVRHmZ7pC.webp",33,false,{"title":114,"description":115,"slug":116,"created_at":117,"publish_at":118,"formatted_created_at":104,"category":119,"links":120,"view_type":86,"video_url":87,"views":125,"likes":89,"lang":90,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":112},"The $500,000 Corporate Retreat from Hell: Plex’s Survivor Trip in Honduras Nearly Killed the Team","The $500,000 Corporate Retreat from Hell: How Plex’s “Survivor”-Themed Trip in Honduras Nearly Killed the Team (But Actually Bonded Them Forever)","the-500-000-corporate-retreat-from-hell-plex-s-survivor-trip-in-honduras-nearly-killed-the-team","2026-04-22T08:03:20.000000Z","2026-04-25T09:52:00.000000Z",{"title":27,"slug":28},{"image":121,"image_webp":122,"thumb":123,"thumb_webp":124},"https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/gKi9YgxnNHSmqlIlVIvtCakxglLHMQjfc5Spi8ct.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/gKi9YgxnNHSmqlIlVIvtCakxglLHMQjfc5Spi8ct.webp","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/gKi9YgxnNHSmqlIlVIvtCakxglLHMQjfc5Spi8ct.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/gKi9YgxnNHSmqlIlVIvtCakxglLHMQjfc5Spi8ct.webp",39,{"title":127,"description":128,"slug":129,"created_at":130,"publish_at":130,"formatted_created_at":104,"category":131,"links":132,"view_type":86,"video_url":87,"views":137,"likes":89,"lang":90,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":112},"Inside the Solana Trading Bot Arms Race: Who Wins When Everyone Has the Same Speed?","There is a war happening on Solana right now, and most people watching the charts have no idea how it works. Every time a new memecoin launches on Pump.fun or liquidity gets added to a Raydium pool, dozens of automated bots compete to be the first buyer. The winner gets in at the lowest price. Everyone else pays more — sometimes dramatically more. The entire battle unfolds in under two seconds.","inside-the-solana-trading-bot-arms-race-who-wins-when-everyone-has-the-same-speed","2026-04-25T07:20:56.000000Z",{"title":58,"slug":63},{"image":133,"image_webp":134,"thumb":135,"thumb_webp":136},"https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/L0T5zVXenp3SBYYimb8xU7vktCyCG6QUp1VtjZuu.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/L0T5zVXenp3SBYYimb8xU7vktCyCG6QUp1VtjZuu.webp","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/L0T5zVXenp3SBYYimb8xU7vktCyCG6QUp1VtjZuu.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/L0T5zVXenp3SBYYimb8xU7vktCyCG6QUp1VtjZuu.webp",51,{"title":139,"description":140,"slug":141,"created_at":142,"publish_at":143,"formatted_created_at":104,"category":144,"links":145,"view_type":86,"video_url":87,"views":150,"likes":89,"lang":90,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":112},"AI Office Warfare in China: Employees Train AI to Replace Colleagues — Then Fight Back with Sabotage Tools","In Chinese tech companies, a quiet but ruthless corporate war has broken out — and artificial intelligence has become the ultimate weapon in office politics.","ai-office-warfare-in-china-employees-train-ai-to-replace-colleagues-then-fight-back-with-sabotage-tools","2026-04-22T07:22:47.000000Z","2026-04-25T06:14:00.000000Z",{"title":19,"slug":20},{"image":146,"image_webp":147,"thumb":148,"thumb_webp":149},"https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/4J5ItzmfW5ilMKxjISYPE0jQlZLKjVIPRF6i1a7j.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/4J5ItzmfW5ilMKxjISYPE0jQlZLKjVIPRF6i1a7j.webp","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/4J5ItzmfW5ilMKxjISYPE0jQlZLKjVIPRF6i1a7j.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/4J5ItzmfW5ilMKxjISYPE0jQlZLKjVIPRF6i1a7j.webp",59,{"title":152,"description":153,"slug":154,"created_at":155,"publish_at":156,"formatted_created_at":104,"category":157,"links":158,"view_type":86,"video_url":87,"views":163,"likes":89,"lang":90,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":112},"China Just Gamified School with Digital Pets — And Kids Are Begging for More Homework","China has gamified school with digital pets — and students are loving it.In a creative twist on traditional classroom motivation, a teacher in eastern China has turned homework and good behavior into a real-life Tamagotchi experience. Instead of nagging students to study, she lets them care for virtual companions that thrive only when the kids do their work.","china-just-gamified-school-with-digital-pets-and-kids-are-begging-for-more-homework","2026-04-22T07:09:46.000000Z","2026-04-25T03:58:00.000000Z",{"title":58,"slug":63},{"image":159,"image_webp":160,"thumb":161,"thumb_webp":162},"https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/ioOYG0viQEqmDoy0nmvij8rQLYtfYSoykKqXZYE3.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/ioOYG0viQEqmDoy0nmvij8rQLYtfYSoykKqXZYE3.webp","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/ioOYG0viQEqmDoy0nmvij8rQLYtfYSoykKqXZYE3.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/ioOYG0viQEqmDoy0nmvij8rQLYtfYSoykKqXZYE3.webp",70,[165,178,194,206,221],{"title":166,"description":167,"slug":168,"created_at":169,"publish_at":170,"formatted_created_at":171,"category":172,"links":173,"view_type":86,"video_url":87,"views":176,"likes":177,"lang":90,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":112},"The Anatomy of an Entrepreneur","Entrepreneur is a French word that means an enterpriser. Enterprisers are people who undertake a business or enterprise with the chance of earning profits or suffering from loss.","the-anatomy-of-an-entrepreneur","2021-08-04T15:18:21.000000Z","2025-12-14T06:09:00.000000Z","14.12.2025",{"title":65,"slug":66},{"image":174,"image_webp":87,"thumb":175,"thumb_webp":175},"https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/mVsXPTMuHZuI7UXCsENgL1Qwp1uSOf7Rz3uVPMfm.webp","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/mVsXPTMuHZuI7UXCsENgL1Qwp1uSOf7Rz3uVPMfm.webp",71588,2,{"title":179,"description":180,"slug":181,"created_at":182,"publish_at":183,"formatted_created_at":184,"category":185,"links":186,"view_type":191,"video_url":87,"views":192,"likes":193,"lang":90,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":112},"Advertising on QUASA","QUASA MEDIA is read by more than 400 thousand people a month. We offer to place your article, add a link or order the writing of an article for publication.","advertising-on-quasa","2022-07-06T07:33:02.000000Z","2025-12-15T17:33:02.000000Z","15.12.2025",{"title":58,"slug":63},{"image":187,"image_webp":188,"thumb":189,"thumb_webp":190},"https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/45SvmdsTQbiyc3nxgbyHY1mpVbisYyub2BCHjqBL.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/45SvmdsTQbiyc3nxgbyHY1mpVbisYyub2BCHjqBL.webp","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/45SvmdsTQbiyc3nxgbyHY1mpVbisYyub2BCHjqBL.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/45SvmdsTQbiyc3nxgbyHY1mpVbisYyub2BCHjqBL.webp","large",71366,4,{"title":195,"description":196,"slug":197,"created_at":198,"publish_at":199,"formatted_created_at":200,"category":201,"links":202,"view_type":86,"video_url":87,"views":205,"likes":193,"lang":90,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":112},"What is a Startup?","A startup is not a new company, not a tech company, nor a new tech company. You can be a new tech company, if your goal is not to grow high and fast; then, you are not a startup. ","what-is-a-startup","2021-08-04T12:05:17.000000Z","2025-12-17T13:02:00.000000Z","17.12.2025",{"title":65,"slug":66},{"image":203,"image_webp":87,"thumb":204,"thumb_webp":204},"https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/EOsQhSW3VXyG7a6NPdE1oZd00xfJXe3bjY5aJGb7.webp","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/EOsQhSW3VXyG7a6NPdE1oZd00xfJXe3bjY5aJGb7.webp",68973,{"title":207,"description":208,"slug":209,"created_at":210,"publish_at":211,"formatted_created_at":212,"category":213,"links":214,"view_type":86,"video_url":87,"views":219,"likes":177,"lang":90,"comments_count":220,"is_pinned":112},"Top 5 Tips to Make More Money as a Content Creator","Content creators are one of the most desired job titles right now. Who wouldn’t want to earn a living online?","top-5-tips-to-make-more-money-as-a-content-creator","2022-01-17T17:31:51.000000Z","2026-01-17T11:30:00.000000Z","17.01.2026",{"title":19,"slug":20},{"image":215,"image_webp":216,"thumb":217,"thumb_webp":218},"https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/gP8kiumBPpJmQv6SMieXiX1tDetx43VwFfO1P4Ca.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/gP8kiumBPpJmQv6SMieXiX1tDetx43VwFfO1P4Ca.webp","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/gP8kiumBPpJmQv6SMieXiX1tDetx43VwFfO1P4Ca.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/gP8kiumBPpJmQv6SMieXiX1tDetx43VwFfO1P4Ca.webp",42901,1,{"title":222,"description":223,"slug":224,"created_at":225,"publish_at":226,"formatted_created_at":227,"category":228,"links":229,"view_type":191,"video_url":87,"views":234,"likes":177,"lang":90,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":112},"8 Logo Design Tips for Small Businesses","Your logo tells the story of your business and the values you stand for.","8-logo-design-tips-for-small-businesses","2021-12-04T21:59:52.000000Z","2025-05-05T03:30:00.000000Z","05.05.2025",{"title":15,"slug":16},{"image":230,"image_webp":231,"thumb":232,"thumb_webp":233},"https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/Wbx2NtS1CnTupgoQbpFMGspJ5jm4uob2hDOq33r0.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/Wbx2NtS1CnTupgoQbpFMGspJ5jm4uob2hDOq33r0.webp","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/Wbx2NtS1CnTupgoQbpFMGspJ5jm4uob2hDOq33r0.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/Wbx2NtS1CnTupgoQbpFMGspJ5jm4uob2hDOq33r0.webp",41939,[236,237,238,239,240,241,242,243,244,245,246,247,248],{"title":23,"slug":24},{"title":47,"slug":48},{"title":55,"slug":56},{"title":43,"slug":44},{"title":51,"slug":52},{"title":31,"slug":32},{"title":35,"slug":36},{"title":27,"slug":28},{"title":19,"slug":20},{"title":15,"slug":16},{"title":58,"slug":63},{"title":11,"slug":12},{"title":65,"slug":66}]