Justin Maier, the founder of the open-source AI platform Civitai, has experienced a tumultuous year. Based in Boise, Idaho, and raised Mormon, Maier’s company was established a year ago to support a community focused on discovering, creating, and sharing models and image-generated content using the popular text-to-image generator Stable Diffusion. Since its inception, Civitai has grown from a four-person startup with fewer than 100,000 users to a 15-person company with $5 million in funding from VC firm Andreessen Horowitz. The platform now boasts 10 million unique visitors each month and millions of uploaded images and models.
However, Maier has faced significant personal and professional challenges. His daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes the same week Civitai secured its funding round. Additionally, the company has been the subject of critical coverage by the independent tech journalism site 404 Media, which accused Civitai of creating an “AI porn marketplace” and profiting from nonconsensual AI porn, among other allegations. Maier, a Brigham Young University graduate, believes these reports mischaracterize Civitai’s primary user base and use cases.
In an exclusive interview with VentureBeat, Maier expressed his frustration with the situation, describing it as “challenging and sad.” He emphasized that Civitai is a small company striving to provide access to more people who generally use the platform for positive purposes. Maier highlighted that half of the company’s team is dedicated to content moderation, working hard to keep the platform safe despite the rapid growth and interest in the space.
Civitai has become a focal point in the debate over the merits of open-source generative AI. While the technology has created thriving new communities, it has also enabled the creation of objectionable content on a larger scale. Maier explained that most Civitai users are LoRA model enthusiasts who use AI art generation for various purposes, from fan fiction and anime characters to photorealism and fashion. He noted that the platform has grown significantly, with users now generating 3 million images daily, and less than 20% of the content being considered “PG-13” or above.
Maier expressed sadness over the negative coverage, stating that Civitai has implemented policies such as Three Strikes and Zero Tolerance for inappropriate content. The platform also uses Amazon Rekognition to detect and flag content that violates these policies. Maier emphasized that Civitai started as a passion project for generative AI hobbyists and has lowered the barrier to entry for open-source generative AI.
Despite being aware of the potential for NSFW content, Maier chose not to reject it entirely to avoid hampering community development. He likened the situation to the New Testament’s Parable of the Weeds, explaining that even those creating NSFW content contribute to the overall improvement of the technology. Maier acknowledged the challenges of moderating content but emphasized the value of the community in pushing the technology forward.
404 Media’s coverage also included accusations of “bounties” for deepfakes of real people. Maier explained that bounties allow users to post listings for desired services, such as AI model creations, which are subject to the same content moderation filters as other content on Civitai. The platform encourages community reporting of inappropriate content, incentivized by its on-site currency, Buzz.
As an open-source AI platform, Civitai cannot control how models are used once downloaded or moved to another platform. However, Maier stated that the company provides recourse for those who want images with their likeness or styles removed. He noted that while it is rare for artists to reach out, Civitai has processes in place to address such concerns.
Maier highlighted the rapid acceleration of AI development and the efforts of Civitai and other companies to keep up with policy development. He also shared a personal anecdote about his daughter, who enjoys drawing and working with AI generations. Civitai is currently conducting a holiday charity drive for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, reflecting Maier’s hope to improve conditions for his daughter.
In conclusion, Maier reiterated Civitai’s commitment to making AI more accessible while ensuring the platform remains safe. He acknowledged the challenges and difficulties but emphasized that the company is doing its best to keep things on track.