Grok AI’s Flux.1 Image model parent Black Forest Labs raised $100 million

Black Forest Labs, a new generative AI Image startup, has reportedly raised more than $100 million in funding after p[partnering with xAI to integrate the FLUX.1 model into Grok AI.

Last month, Black Forest Labs garnered attention with the launch of the Grok 2 chatbot. The FLUX.1 model suite enables a text-to-image framework for Grok users. It is one of the core capabilities of the Grok 2 model family.

Users can access Grok 2 and Grok 2 mini with image generation features via Premium and Premium+ subscriptions. The integration is a major push for Black Forest Lab as xAI continues to improve Grok’s performance and launch new features.

Techcrunch reported that the funding comes at a crucial time when the startup is looking to expand its image model and improve its results. However, the funding sources are currently unknown.

After a boom in text-to-text generative AI, generative Image models are gaining excellent momentum. These models can create images within a few seconds with a text description.

The FLUX.1 suite preserves these aspects to create a high-quality image with a diverse range of options. It comes in three variants – FLUX.1 (pro), FLUX.1 (dev) and FLUX.1 (schnell).

These models bring tailored performance to match their names and are designed for different use cases and applications.

Along with Grok integration, Black Forest Labs announced a Series Seed funding round of $31 million. This round of investors includes Andreessen Horowitz with the participation of angel investors Brendan Iribe, Michael Ovitz, Garry Tan, Timo Aila, and Vladlen Koltun.

The company has also received follow-up investments from General Catalyst and MatchVC to boost AI project development and expand its model reach.

Furthermore, Black Forest Labs’ advisory board includes Michael Ovitz and Professor Matthias Bethge. Both of these carry vast knowledge in AI and content creation.