In a recent Calcalist interview, Noam Schwartz, Co-founder and CEO of Alice (formerly ActiveFence), discusses the company’s rebranding and strategic expansion from content moderation into securing AI models.
Why did ActiveFence rebrand to Alice and shift its focus toward AI security?
ActiveFence rebranded to Alice as demand from major platforms like Amazon, TikTok, and Bytedance pushed the company to expand beyond user protection into AI model security. The shift reflects where revenue and customer needs are evolving.
“We’ve been working with the world’s largest companies since 2018… they asked for our technology to protect their users, and that’s where our revenue started shifting.”
The rebrand represents both a strategic and internal transformation, aligning the company with the growing importance of AI systems.
How is AI changing productivity and hiring in the tech industry?
Schwartz describes AI tools as dramatically increasing productivity, especially for technically skilled workers. Rather than reducing jobs in tech, AI is enabling employees to create more value with fewer resources.
“The efficiency of these tools is hard to grasp… people with technical knowledge have gained new wings.”
While some industries may see job cuts, Schwartz argues that in tech, AI acts as a force multiplier, creating new roles such as model training and increasing demand for talent in sales and product.
What is Alice’s current market position and scale?
Alice currently protects over 3 billion users across social platforms and secures 7 of the world’s 10 leading foundational AI models. Its customers and partners include Amazon, TikTok, Nvidia, Cohere, and Black Forest Labs.
Founded in 2018, the company has raised $140 million to date, with investors including Grove Ventures, CRV, Highland Europe, Norwest Venture Partners, and others. It employs around 350 people globally, with the majority based in Israel.
Is Alice planning to raise more capital or pursue an exit?
According to Schwartz, the company is in a strong financial position and does not currently need to raise additional funding.
“We feel we are too big to be acquired today.”
Instead, the company is focused on scaling operations to meet growing demand, particularly by expanding its sales and product teams.
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