Absurd

Based in San Francisco, California, Absurd develops a multi-agent artificial intelligence platform that generates brand and performance marketing videos at scale. The enterprise software utilizes an advanced orchestration system to automate the entire production pipeline, managing the planning, generation, and editing processes to deliver finalized promotional content within a 72-hour turnaround time. Operating with a team of six employees, the Y Combinator-backed startup collaborates closely with client teams from initial concept to final cut. These AI-generated video campaigns average over 400,000 organic views, with specific projects like the Kalshi "Election Day" advertisement surpassing one million views across digital platforms. Absurd provides its automated video production services to several notable corporate customers in the technology and consumer sectors, including Hims, Kalshi, Replit, and Brex. The company was founded in 2025 by Damian Chng, Philip Ho, and Daniel Kathein.

High-Level Overview

Absurd is a startup that builds AI-powered brand and performance video ads at scale, leveraging advanced generative AI technologies to create viral marketing content. Their product automates the complex creative process of scripting, planning, generating, and editing video campaigns in real time, all managed collaboratively via platforms like Slack and a Figma-like canvas. Absurd primarily serves marketers, startups, and brands seeking to produce engaging, high-performing video ads efficiently and cost-effectively, addressing the challenge that most AI-generated videos tend to look generic and underperform. The company has demonstrated strong organic reach, with individual videos achieving hundreds of thousands to over a million views, indicating promising growth momentum and market traction[1][2].

Origin Story

Founded in 2025 in San Francisco, Absurd was co-founded by Philip, Damian, and Daniel, who brought together expertise in AI, creative storytelling, and marketing. The idea emerged from recognizing the difficulty in producing entertaining AI-generated videos that maintain coherent storytelling, consistent characters, and high production quality. Early traction came from viral video ads created for clients like Kalshi, which garnered over a million views, validating their multi-agent AI system approach that integrates various specialized AI models to overcome typical generative video challenges[1][2].

Core Differentiators

• Multi-agent AI system: Absurd uses a sophisticated system that combines different AI models, each specialized in aspects like motion, faces, and lighting, to produce coherent and high-quality video ads.
• Collaborative real-time platform: Campaigns are planned, generated, and edited live on Slack and a Figma-like canvas, enabling transparency and teamwork.
• Creative storytelling expertise: Unlike many AI video tools, Absurd emphasizes scripting and pacing to maintain engaging narratives.
• Proven viral performance: Their videos consistently achieve high organic view counts, demonstrating effectiveness beyond typical AI-generated content[1].

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Absurd rides the wave of generative AI adoption in marketing, a sector rapidly evolving due to demand for scalable, personalized, and cost-efficient content creation. The timing is critical as brands increasingly seek automation to keep pace with digital advertising needs while maintaining creativity and engagement. Market forces such as the proliferation of AI video models and the rise of social media video consumption favor Absurd’s approach. By pushing the boundaries of AI-generated video quality and workflow integration, Absurd influences the startup ecosystem by setting new standards for AI-driven marketing tools and inspiring innovation in creative AI applications[1][2].

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Looking ahead, Absurd is well-positioned to expand its market share by refining its AI system, enhancing user experience, and scaling its platform to serve larger enterprises and diverse industries. Trends like increasing AI sophistication, demand for personalized video ads, and integration with social media platforms will shape their growth trajectory. Their influence may evolve from a niche AI video startup to a key player in marketing technology, potentially driving broader adoption of AI in creative industries and reshaping how brands engage audiences through video content[1][2].