Listen to this articleThe basics:
- Pocstock, Fanbase team to allow creators to earn from AI training
- Partnership focuses on ethical, inclusive AI and reducing algorithmic bias
- Collaboration is exclusive for three years
- Both companies are expanding funding, user base & operations
Newark-based pocstock is partnering with Fanbase to help promote ethical and inclusive AI models.
The global content and data company will work with the next-generation social media platform to allow AI to train with content posted by Fanbase users.
The collaboration echoes the hallmarks of Fanbase’s foundation, which allows users to monetize their content. In kind, creators will have the chance to receive payment for participating in AI training on social media thanks to the pocstock pairing.
“This partnership is about opening the door for creators to the rapidly growing world of AI,” said pockstock founder and CEO Steve Jones. “AI is changing how our ideas are made and shared, and we want to make sure our community has a real place in the AI economy. Not just as consumers, but as producers.”
Jones told NJBIZ via email the partnership is exclusive for three years.
Better practice, better product
This work aims to help expand AI training to avoid and stymy algorithmic bias. According to IBM, when it does occur the phenomenon often reflects or reinforces existing socioeconomic, racial and gender biases.
Fanbase and pocstock also highlight that social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok do not afford users the opportunity to earn money from the content posted to those platforms that AI models train on. The Fanbase-pocstock matchup instead rewards users for their creativity and incentivizes them to create more content to train pocstock AI.
Jones says the plan does include allowing Fanbase users to opt out of participating, if they prefer.
“I am really excited about this partnership because this is exactly what Fanbase stands for,” said Isaac Hayes III, founder and CEO of Fanbase. “We value the cultural and creative contributions that our users make every day. This collaboration with pocstock allows us to honor that value by making sure users are compensated for the content that helps build the future of AI and the entire social media ecosystem.”
Rising tide
Fanbase has 1.4 million users, having experienced significant growth (35%) from 2023, as of last December.
Both it and pocstock are also busy raising funds along with their profiles. That December blog post from Fanbase said the company already raised $4 million, while on track to hit $17 million to scale its business. Meanwhile, pocstock launched a crowdfunding investment opportunity six months ago to further its mission of enhancing inclusivity across stock photography, marketing and advertising, and AI.
Ahead of its Nov. 30 crowdfunding close, the startup has so far raised more than $242,000 from over 160 investors, according to WeFunder. Jones said pocstock is currently accepting private placements to raise $5 million, with an expected close in the first quarter of 2026. More information is available here.
VC-backed pocstock has raised $1.6 million in seed funding, with $500,000 from venture capital.
The company is also a participant in Audible’s Business Attraction Program. It cut the ribbon on its Newark headquarters space just over a year ago.
