Zefr, a global leader in brand suitability technology for social platforms, today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted the company a new patent covering its proprietary AI-driven process for content annotation and model distillation.

The patent recognizes Zefr’s breakthrough use of large language models (LLMs) and AI agents to dramatically improve the precision, scalability, and transparency of digital content analysis, while reducing the need for extensive manual review.

Unlike traditional annotation systems that rely on large teams of human reviewers, Zefr’s patented method enables AI agents to query massive video datasets, identify ambiguous or underspecified cases, and escalate only the most complex examples for targeted human review. This hybrid approach increases efficiency while preserving the nuance, cultural understanding, and contextual judgment that only humans can provide.

By combining automated discovery with human policy guidance, Zefr’s system can intelligently distinguish between seemingly similar scenarios: for example, differentiating depictions of crime in entertainment content from real-world criminal activity. This advancement allows advertisers to make better-informed, context-sensitive decisions about where their brands appear online.

“This patent represents another major step forward in our mission to bring transparency and trust to the digital ecosystem,” said Jon Moora, Chief AI Officer at Zefr. “Our technology bridges the best of human reasoning and machine intelligence, ensuring advertisers can navigate complex online environments with confidence and accountability.”

The new patent marks Zefr’s 8th patent (and second AI patent), adding to the company’s growing portfolio of intellectual property in artificial intelligence, content understanding, and brand suitability. It underscores the company’s continued commitment to research transparency, peer-reviewed innovation, and responsible AI development.

About Zefr

Zefr is the leader in AI-powered content classifications for brands and advertisers. Zefr's platform is purpose built for multi-modal content understanding on open platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Meta and Snap, with pre-bid activation and verification solutions. Our products safeguard media and AI investments, while maximizing performance and efficacy on those channels. Headquartered in Los Angeles with global offices across New York, Chicago, London, Toronto, Singapore, and more, Zefr is redefining what trust and transparency means for social media in the age of AI. To learn more, visit zefr.com.

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