The AI startup Icon, backed by $9.2 million from Peter Thiel, OpenAI execs, and Ramp, hyped a $39/month tool to let any company churn out slick ad videos.
Now, it’s morphed into a full-service agency charging $1,000–$3,000 monthly for human strategists, copywriters, and editors. So much for the AI revolution — did they just skim some Twitter threads and call it a day?
From AI Dream to Human Crutch
Icon’s original pitch promised an AI-powered ad solution for peanuts, aiming to disrupt the $600 billion ad industry. But the shift to a pricey human-led model suggests the tech couldn’t deliver — or maybe they realized clients wanted a safety net. With a team boasting Google and Tesla alumni, you’d expect more than a rehashed agency play.
Twitter’s Skeptical Roast
Twitter’s buzzing with sarcasm, with users joking that Icon’s “innovation” came from reading a few AI hype threads. The $9.2 million funding might’ve just bought a creative team to fix what the AI botched.
It’s hard not to wonder if this is less a pivot and more a confession that AI alone can’t cut it.
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A Dubious Future?
This dual-model — $39 for AI, $1,000+ for humans — smacks of desperation rather than strategy. Backed by big names or not, Icon’s move raises doubts about its tech’s reliability and the startup’s direction. Is it a trailblazer or just another overhyped flop leaning on human talent to survive? Time will tell, but the skepticism’s well-earned.
