Citrusx: Ensuring AI Models Meet Compliance Standards Amid Upcoming Regulation

Each day, we encounter more headlines about government efforts to regulate artificial intelligence (AI). Just last week, the European Union finalized a comprehensive set of regulations, joining numerous other countries poised to manage the rapid expansion of this technology. Amid this regulatory environment, opportunities arise for innovative startups.

Enter Citrusx, an early-stage startup based in Israel, which recently secured a $4.5 million seed investment. This funding will enable the company to develop a software solution designed to help organizations maintain compliance with both internal policies and government regulations.

“The demand for AI is immense, and businesses are investing heavily in it. However, there’s a significant bottleneck when it comes to deploying these models into production,” explained Noa Srebrnik, co-founder and CEO of Citrusx. She highlighted that it can take six to nine months to transition a model into a market-ready service, and her goal is to streamline this process.

“To effectively utilize AI models, much like traditional programming, we needed a tool that ensures the models operate correctly and that we can trust and hold them accountable in production,” she noted. This involves keeping the models current with updated data and enabling creators to clearly explain their operation to internal stakeholders and regulators, thereby fostering trust in the results.

Srebrnik, who founded Citrusx after leading compliance at the Bank of Israel, recognized a gap in the market for a tool that guarantees models adhere to regulations. The need for such solutions has intensified alongside the rising popularity of generative AI. Citrusx’s platform is designed to be adaptable, allowing for comparison across various models without requiring a complete overhaul for each situation. “We aimed to develop Citrusx in a highly agnostic manner, enabling us to evaluate different models seamlessly,” she stated.

Founded in 2021 alongside CTO Gilad Manor, Citrusx has grown to a team of twelve. Srebrnik emphasizes the importance of representation, particularly as a woman CEO, in fostering a diverse workforce. “I make it a point to be involved in all employees' calls to demonstrate that having a woman in a leadership role matters to me, and to ensure everyone feels included,” she expressed.

The $4.5 million seed funding round was led by Canadian venture firm Awz Ventures, supported by several angel investors. With looming regulations on the horizon for generative AI, startups like Citrusx are poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of compliance in this evolving landscape.