Are You Ready for AI Warranties? Armilla AI’s Solution to AI-Related Failures

Armilla, a Y Combinator-backed startup, aims to provide companies with a warranty for the AI they develop and deploy.

armilla

There’s no denying that AI has enormous potential, but there’s also a lot that can go wrong. From biased and toxic algorithms to copyright infringements, AI-related failures have been a cause for concern. In fact, according to a recent survey from MIT Sloan Management Review and Boston Consulting Group, over 55% of AI-related failures in organizations can be attributed to third-party AI tools. It’s no wonder that some companies are hesitant to fully embrace this technology.

But what if I told you that there’s now an AI warranty? Yes, you heard that right. Karthik Ramakrishnan, an entrepreneur and electrical engineer, came up with the idea while working at Deloitte. He realized that trust and the ability to quantify risk were holding back the adoption of AI. That’s when he teamed up with Dan Adamson, an expert in search algorithms and startup founder, to start Armilla AI.

🔍 Benchmarking AI Models

Armilla AI provides warranties on AI models to corporate customers, ensuring that they can adopt AI technology with confidence. But how can they do this when most models are black boxes or behind licenses, subscriptions, and APIs? Through benchmarking, of course.

Armilla takes an AI model, whether open source or proprietary, and conducts assessments to verify its quality. They test for things like hallucinations, racial and gender bias, fairness, robustness, and security across different applications and use cases. They have developed in-house assessment technology to ensure that the AI model meets the required standards.

If the model passes the assessment, Armilla backs it with a warranty. This means that if the buyer of the model faces any issues or incurs any fees, Armilla will reimburse them. It’s like having insurance for your AI models!

🕵️‍ Ethical Standards and Compliance

Armilla AI’s approach also takes ethical considerations and compliance into account. They will not test models that are prohibited by regulations or engage in activities that are against their strong ethical standards. For example, they would not assess a facial recognition algorithm from a vendor known to do business with questionable actors. They prioritize providing accurate assessments and reports that do not provide false confidence in problematic AI models.

🔒 Unique Approach with Wide-ranging Assessments

While the concept of warranties and policy coverage for AI isn’t new, Armilla AI’s approach is unique. They conduct comprehensive assessments that touch on various areas, including key performance indicators (KPIs), processes, performance, data quality, and qualitative and quantitative criteria. They ensure compliance with legislation and regulations such as the EU AI Act and NYC Local Law 144. Furthermore, they are ready to conduct assessments required by emerging regulations like Canada’s AI and Data Act.

💪 Growing Adoption and Future Developments

Since its launch in late 2023, Armilla AI has quickly gained traction. Backed by carriers Swiss Re, Greenlight Re, and Chaucer, they have already acquired around ten customers. These customers include a healthcare company using AI to process medical records.

Armilla AI caters to both enterprises and third-party AI vendors. For enterprises, the warranty offers protection when procuring AI models from third-party vendors. For vendors, the warranty serves as a stamp of approval, shortening their sales cycles. As the adoption of AI continues to grow, warranties like the one provided by Armilla AI will play a significant role in addressing AI risks and ensuring the safe deployment of AI solutions.

The Future of AI Warranties

But what about the rapidly evolving AI policy landscape? Could Armilla AI be at risk of substantial payouts if their assessments and contracts aren’t bulletproof? According to Ramakrishnan, they are well-prepared. They closely follow the development of regulations worldwide and adapt their assessments accordingly. This ensures that they remain up-to-date and are able to provide accurate evaluations based on specific legal requirements.

Armilla AI, based in Toronto with 13 employees, recently raised $4.5 million in a seed round led by Mistral. The funding will be used to expand their existing warranty offering and introduce new products. Ramakrishnan believes that insurance will be the key to addressing AI risks, and Armilla AI is at the forefront of developing insurance products that will allow companies to deploy AI solutions safely.

📚 References:

  1. AI Growing role in development, testing, and personal assistant
  2. EU AI Act secures committees’ backing ahead of full Parliament vote
  3. 30 Robotics Companies Hiring
  4. Ukrainian Startup Astrology App Nebula Thriving Despite War
  5. Glass supercharges smartphone cameras with AI, minus hallucinations

Q&A:

Q: What is the main purpose of Armilla AI’s warranty for AI models? A: Armilla AI’s warranty provides confidence and protection to buyers of AI models by reimbursing them for any fees incurred. It aims to address the risks associated with using third-party AI vendors and ensure the quality and reliability of the AI models.

Q: How does Armilla AI conduct assessments on AI models? A: Armilla AI conducts assessments on AI models using benchmarking and in-house assessment technology. They test for issues such as hallucinations, bias, fairness, robustness, and security, ensuring that the models meet the required standards.

Q: Does Armilla AI assess models that have ethical concerns? A: No, Armilla AI prioritizes ethical considerations and compliance. They will not assess models that are prohibited by regulations or engage in activities that go against their strong ethical standards. They are committed to providing accurate assessments and reports that do not provide false confidence in problematic AI models.

Q: How does Armilla AI differentiate itself from other AI warranty providers? A: Armilla AI’s approach stands out because of its wide-ranging assessments that consider various factors such as KPIs, processes, performance, and data quality. They ensure compliance with legislation and regulations like the EU AI Act and NYC Local Law 144. Their assessments are also conducted at a fraction of the cost and time compared to other providers.

Q: What is the future outlook for AI warranties? A: AI warranties, like the one provided by Armilla AI, will play a significant role in addressing AI risks and ensuring the safe deployment of AI solutions. As the adoption of AI continues to grow, there will be an increasing need for warranties and insurance products that protect companies against potential AI-related failures.


Now that you know about Armilla AI’s groundbreaking warranty for AI models, what are your thoughts? Do you think warranties are necessary for the widespread adoption of AI? Share your views in the comments below and don’t forget to share this article with your friends on social media!

👉 Read More: Armilla AI