Mobius Labs' Aana SDK promises to slash AI computing costs by up to 10x, championing eco-friendly innovation in the AI era.
While AI promises groundbreaking advancements, its increasing energy demands emphasize the need for sustainable solutions. Companies like Mobius Labs are exploring ways to curb energy consumption. Its latest release, Aana SDK, an open-source platform, aims to reduce AI computing costs by up to tenfold, offering a potential path toward more sustainable AI development.
Founded by Appu Shaji, Aleksandr Movchan, Dominic Ruefenacht, and Hicham Badri, Mobius Labs is a Berlin-based AI startup which is valued at an estimated $30 million, raising $6.1 million in a Series A funding round in 2021.
The AI startup's software development kit (SDK) "Aana (ആന)" is named after the term "elephant" in Malayalam, according to the company. The newly launched tool is 10 times faster and leaves a smaller model footprint while being 40 times cheaper than the typical multimodal AI platforms.
"Over the years, a trend we have observed is that often the people who get the maximum value from AI are non-technical persons like a content manager in a press and creative agency, or an application manager in the space sector. Our no-code AI allows anyone to build their own applications, thus enabling these users to get close to their vision without having to wait for AI experts or developer teams to help them," Shaji told TechCrunch in an interview.
READ: Columbia University students' biotech AI startup raises $4 million seed round (November 14, 2024)
Shaji is the CEO and Chief Scientist at Mobius Labs, holds a doctorate in computer science from IIT Bombay.
The global chip market, valued at $53 billion, is projected to double by 2027, according to Gartner. However, the environmental cost of producing energy-efficient chips that can sustain the growing demand for AI technologies remains ominous.
AI power consumption is expected to surge dramatically. A Wells Fargo report predicts a 550% increase in AI energy demand and AI training alone will account for much of this demand. As AI reshapes industries and addresses global challenges, balancing innovation with environmental responsibility will be critical.