🎬 Runway's Act-One Changes Game for Animators

Runway's Act-One revolutionizes character animation by simplifying the process with generative models, capturing emotional nuances without traditional techniques.

Author

Jack Lajoie
October 23, 2024 • read time ~ 8 minutes

The Daily Current ⚡️

Welcome to the creatives, builders, pioneers, and thought leaders ever driving further into the liminal space.

In a world increasingly driven by AI innovation, companies are making significant strides across diverse sectors. Runway's Act-One tool revolutionizes character animation, eliminating the need for traditional workflows. TollBit's platform ensures transparent content monetization, and Stable Diffusion 3.5 offers accessible image generation on everyday devices. Apple's “deliberate” approach to AI enhances device capabilities while safeguarding privacy (but let’s be honest, we know they are just behind everyone right now), and Qualcomm's partnership with Google aims to redefine in-car technology, making it more responsive and intelligent.

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Runway's Act-One introduces a new method for generating expressive character performances by leveraging generative models. This tool simplifies the animation process by using video and voice inputs, eliminating the need for traditional techniques like motion capture and manual face rigging. Act-One focuses on capturing emotional nuances and adapting them to various character designs and camera angles.

  • Inputs: Act-One uses video and voice performances as inputs for animation creation.

  • Traditional Workflow: It eliminates the need for complex traditional workflows like motion capture and manual rigging.

  • Performance Preservation: The tool focuses on preserving emotional nuances in digital characters.

  • Versatility: It can translate performances into characters with different proportions and handle various camera angles.

  • User Access: Act-One is being gradually rolled out to users.

🔍 Act-One's approach highlights a shift towards more accessible animation tools, reflecting a broader trend in making advanced technology user-friendly for creators.

With $24 million raised in Series A funding, TollBit is poised to transform the AI and publishing industries by offering a platform that facilitates direct payments for content usage. This approach not only supports publishers but also promotes sustainable business models in the digital content landscape.

  • TollBit raised $24 million in Series A funding, led by Lightspeed, with participation from Section 32 and notable industry figures.

  • The platform uses a token system to ensure authorized use of content, addressing legal uncertainties around content scraping.

  • Over 200 publisher sites, including major names like Penske Media Corporation and TIME, have been onboarded.

  • The funding round follows a successful seed round in March 2024 that raised nearly $7 million.

  • TollBit's payment system is already being utilized by initial clients such as the AI news reader app Particle.

💡 TollBit's approach highlights a shift towards more transparent and equitable content transactions, addressing longstanding issues in digital media monetization.

Stable Diffusion 3.5 introduces a suite of image generation models that are designed to be highly customizable and accessible on consumer hardware, including edge devices like smartphones. This release offers different model variants to cater to diverse user needs, from hobbyists to enterprises, all under a permissive license that supports both commercial and non-commercial use.

  • Multiple Variants: Stable Diffusion 3.5 includes Large, Large Turbo, and Medium models, each offering different capabilities to suit various user needs.

  • Customizability: Users can easily fine-tune the models for specific creative applications, enhancing their utility.

  • Consumer Hardware Compatibility: These models are designed to run efficiently on standard consumer hardware, including edge devices like smartphones.

  • Free Use: Available for free for non-commercial use and for commercial use by entities with less than $1 million in annual revenue.

  • Upcoming Releases: The Medium model will be released on October 29th.

🚀 With its focus on compatibility and flexibility, Stable Diffusion 3.5 positions itself as a versatile tool for creators looking to innovate without being limited by hardware constraints.

Apple's latest iOS 18.1 update introduces new AI features, but with a focus on privacy and gradual improvement rather than rapid deployment. The company is taking a cautious approach to integrating AI into its products, ensuring each component is thoroughly developed before release.

  • Siri's New Features: Siri receives updates like a more human-like voice and typing options but remains limited in handling complex interactions

  • On-device Processing: Emphasizing privacy, Apple processes much of the AI data on-device, using encrypted cloud models only when necessary

Apple's “deliberate” pace in deploying AI features contrasts with other companies' rapid releases — which skeptics would call a nice spin job from Apple, trying to invent a positive storyline for their being pretty far behind 🤷

Qualcomm and Google have announced a multi-year collaboration to develop advanced car cockpit solutions using generative AI. This partnership aims to integrate Qualcomm's semiconductor technology with Google's software expertise to create intelligent, responsive in-car systems that enhance user experiences.

  • High-Performance Computing: Qualcomm's Snapdragon platforms enable advanced AI applications, enhancing voice assistants and navigation for a seamless in-car experience.

  • Scalable Architecture: The technology supports flexible upgrades and customization, helping automakers reduce costs and meet diverse consumer needs that evolve faster than car models.

  • Enhanced Multimedia: Qualcomm's chips support high-resolution displays and immersive audio, improving infotainment systems for a better passenger experience.

  • Safety and Security: Integrated safety and security features ensure reliable operation of driver-assistance systems and protect vehicle data.

  • Ecosystem Integration: The technology facilitates integration with digital ecosystems like Android Automotive OS, ensuring compatibility with service

🚕 With Qualcomm and Google's partnership, the focus is clear: as much as people laugh at self-driving taxis, this move to turn car cockpits into sophisticated digital hubs very much aligns with that concept.