The Daily Index — Friday, May 12, 2023 · TLDR Index

Across today’s newsletters

Today’s Index

TLDR

STARTUPS ARE SCOOPING UP BIG TECH’S CAST - OFF WORKERS

Startups are attracting a rising number of laid-off software developers, data scientists, and engineers. These companies offer workers the opportunity to build software capabilities from scratch and permanent remote or hybrid-work models. Working for startups also includes equity stakes with higher predicted returns than those at mature companies, as well as the chance to play a broader role in decision-making. Many tech workers perceive startups as a way to develop their proficiencies and progress their careers.

archive.ph · 5 min

TLDR AI

CREATING BETTER VIDEO CONTENT USING AI AND SKETCHES

This paper describes a new way to make video content using artificial intelligence (AI), based on sketches and text. The method, which combines two technologies called Text-to-Video Zero and ControlNet, can create high-quality, consistent videos that closely match what the user intended, as demonstrated by various experiments.

arxiv.org · 5 min

TLDR Web Dev

MEMORY ALLOCATION

All computer programs need and interact with memory. Memory allocators help us to use memory effectively in our programs. This deep dive covers the basics of memory allocation and how to use allocators properly.

samwho.dev · 29 min

TLDR Founders

VENTURE DEBT IS DRYING UP

Following the collapse of SVB, venture debt fell to $3.5B in Q1, the lowest level since 2017, a sign that more startups may be in for financial peril.

archive.ph · 5 min

TLDR

MICROSOFT EMPLOYEES ARE HOOKED ON THE COMPANY’S TRAINING VIDEOS

Microsoft's compliance training videos have gained a cult following since launching in 2017. 'Trust Code' has inspired watch parties, viral memes, and T-shirts. It was initially planned to run for only two or three years, but the show is now headed into its seventh season. While new employees are not mandated to watch previous seasons, the show's popularity has led to group binge-watching to catch up on early episodes.

archive.is · 7 min

TLDR

WORKS & WHAT DOESN'T

A case example of how a public pitch resulted in a $350 million Series A valuation.

threadreaderapp.com · 3 min

TLDR

BREX'S PROMPT ENGINEERING GUIDE

This guide covers the history of LLMs and strategies, guidelines, and safety recommendations for working with them.

github.com · 52 min

TLDR AI

DIFFUSION-BASED 3D FACIAL RECONSTRUCTION FROM A SINGLE IMAGE

This paper introduces a method that uses diffusion models, which have been successful in creating images, to reconstruct 3D facial features from just one image. The process involves using a dataset of facial textures, simulating various lighting conditions, and then using the diffusion model to fill in missing parts of the texture and unknown reflective properties, resulting in a more accurate and consistent 3D face.

arxiv.org · 12 min

TLDR AI

AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT TEXT-TO-3D: THE NEW FRONTIER IN GENERATIVE AI

This paper is a comprehensive survey of the emerging field of text-to-3D, a part of generative AI that turns written descriptions into 3D models. It introduces different types of 3D data, foundational technologies, and how they're combined in recent works, as well as how text-to-3D is used in various applications like creating avatars and generating scenes.

arxiv.org · 28 min