Pangram raises $9M and partners with Substack to expand AI detection tools

Pangram, an AI detection startup, announced a $9 million funding round and a partnership with Substack to help readers identify AI-generated content in newsletters. The partnership enables Substack to display indicators for AI-assisted writing in authors’ posts.

The company also introduced a new AI image detection tool, expanding its detection capabilities beyond text.

During an interview on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Pangram co-founder and CEO Max Spero warned that the internet is 'dangerously close' to dead internet theory—a scenario in which AI-generated content saturates the web to the point that distinguishing real from synthetic becomes nearly impossible.

Spero argued that determining the extent of AI involvement in content may be more useful than simply labeling it as AI-generated or human-written, especially in contexts where false positives could have serious consequences.

He also suggested that lower-tier writing jobs may disappear as AI tools become more prevalent, while high-quality human writing could become more valuable.

The proliferation of AI-generated text and images in job applications, product reviews, and insurance claims has intensified concerns about trust and authenticity online.