Artificial intelligence-powered content creation platform Jasper Inc. is ready for prime time today after closing on a bumper $125 million round of funding that brings its valuation to $1.5 billion.

Today’s Series A round was led by Insight Partners and included participation from the likes of Coatue, Bessemer Venture Partners, IVP, Foundation Capital, Founders Circle Capital, HubSpot Ventures and others.

Jasper is trying to democratize the power of generative AI by making it easily accessible to anyone who wants it, including small businesses and individuals. It aims to help to overcome “writer’s block” and enable anyone to create engaging prose, create original art or repackage existing content. Jasper is looking to serve everyone from individual creatives to large teams, and reckons its tools have been used to write and illustrate children’s books, create compelling sales copy for websites, help non-native speakers communicate more effectively, and more besides.

Jasper’s generative AI takes the form of a Chrome browser extension that can be easily accessed across the web, on any website or content creation platform. Content creators who suddenly find themselves lost for words can then call on Jasper with a single click and obtain context recommendations for their next phrase or sentence, ensuring that the words never stop flowing.

It’s not just about overcoming writer’s block though, for Jasper can in fact create entire articles. The user simply describes in natural language what they want Jasper to write, and it will come up with an effective, keyword-rich piece on almost any topic.

Jasper’s extension works with platforms including Google Docs, Gmail, Notion, HubSpot, Shopify and most social media platforms and content management systems.

Jasper Chief Executive Dave Rogenmoser said generative AI represents a major breakthrough for creative potential. But until now, it has always been inaccessible and intimidating, he said. This is what Jasper is looking to change. “Jasper is working to bring AI to the masses and teach people how to leverage it responsibly so that businesses and individuals can better convey their ideas,” Rogenmoser said.

It’s not only Jasper’s investors who believe. Since launching in January 2021, Jasper has accumulated more than 70,000 paying users, ranging from individuals to teams at large enterprises.

“The company has built an enormous community around AI in such a short time, and we see new use cases shared every day, including in the enterprise,” said Insight Partners Managing Director Jeff Horing.

Image: Jasper