Appier Raises $80 Million Series D for AI-Based Marketing
Next we have Appier, which offers AI-based products to optimize Web site offers and advertising audiences. They just raised an $80 million Series D, bringing total funding to $162 million.
Next we have Appier, which offers AI-based products to optimize Web site offers and advertising audiences. They just raised an $80 million Series D, bringing total funding to $162 million.
Today’s newsletter is brought to you by the letter V. We’ll start with VTEX, an integrated commerce platform that just raised $140 million in what’s apparently its first investment round. The 20-year-old vendor supports more than 2,500 online stores in 28 countries. It’s a helpful reminder that not every major system is owned by one of the giant software vendors.
Chatbot vendor Intercom found that sales bots now outnumber customer service bots, a switch from earlier days when service bots were more common. Both types of bots speed response and save money but 87% of consumers still prefer humans for quick interactions. Fun fact: there are more than 2,000 chatbot vendors.
Tech is fun but a little caution is always a good idea. This Pentagon-funded report on blockchain says that, whatever its theoretical virtues, existing real-world implementations contain major security weaknesses. Raise your hand if you’re shocked.