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STABLECOINS | THE MONETARY UPGRADE

Stablecoins have emerged as a bridge between the traditional financial system and blockchain technology.

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SIMPLIFYING, STABILIZING, AND SCALING CONSISTENCY MODELS

OpenAI has released some work discussing improvements to consistency models (which generate in two steps as opposed to 1,000 for diffusion). They still rely on distillation from an existing diffusion model, but this work aims to improve and stabilize them as they scale.

DEEPMIND OPEN SOURCES SYNTHID

SynthID is a way to statistically watermark generated text. It uses a pseudorandom function after top-k and top-p in the sampling process to mark text. Then you can use a probabilistic bayesian method to detect if text has been watermarked - meaning it was generated by a language model.

TRANSFORMERS JS V3

Transformers JS is a JavaScript library for running models. It now uses WebGPU, which is up to 1,000x faster in some cases. The new version has 1,200+ models ready to use for edge and browser-based applications.

ALL YOU NEED ARE 32 TOKENS TO REPRESENT VIDEO

Salesforce's new method uses a novel encoder for video that requires substantially fewer tokens for proper representation. This has been tried a number of times in the past with minimal success, the key seems to be an explicit temporal encoder along with a spatial encoder.

PANGEA OPEN MULTILINGUAL MODELS

A team at CMU has released powerful open models with strong performance in a variety of languages.

VIDEO OBJECT SEGMENTATION WITH A TREE SEARCH

SAM2Long addresses the "error accumulation" issue in SAM 2's memory design by introducing a training-free video object segmentation strategy.

session

AGENT EXE

A nice little wrapper around Anthropic's computer use system that makes it much easier to use and run.

AGENT REASONING WITH CROSS-TASK EXPERIENCE SHARING

SCENE COMPLETION IN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

TALoS is a method that improves scene completion for autonomous vehicles by using observations made at different moments as supervision for predictions.

SABOTAGE EVALUATIONS FOR FRONTIER MODELS

Anthropic's Alignment Science team developed evaluations to test AI models' potential for sabotage, including human decision sabotage, code sabotage, sandbagging, and undermining oversight. These evaluations aim to identify dangerous capabilities in future AI systems and inform necessary safety mitigations. Their findings suggest minimal risks with current models but highlight the need for more robust evaluations and safeguards as AI capabilities advance.

AI DREAMS: MICROSOFT @ 50, CHAPTER 1

Microsoft's research paper on AI robustness prompted the company to invest billions in AI infrastructure, catalyzing breakthroughs with partners like OpenAI. This investment has significantly boosted Microsoft's growth in AI-driven products, exemplified by GitHub Copilot's success. Despite challenges from competition and sustainability goals, Microsoft continues to prioritize AI, with record capital spending on its AI and cloud infrastructure.

FUTURE OF INTERNET IN THE AGE OF AI

In this article, Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince discusses AI's impact on internet infrastructure, highlighting the need for AI-capable edge computing and local inference to reduce network latency. He emphasizes the importance of regionalization in AI services due to regulatory complexities and outlines Cloudflare's approach to building a connectivity-focused network. Cloudflare aims to make internet connectivity faster, more secure, and more efficient, aligning closely with AI advancements.

OPENAI, MICROSOFT REPORTEDLY HIRE BANKS TO RENEGOTIATE PARTNERSHIP TERMS

OpenAI and Microsoft are negotiating the terms of their partnership, with Microsoft seeking a significant stake in OpenAI post-restructuring.

FORMER OPENAI CTO MIRA MURATI IS REPORTEDLY FUNDRAISING FOR A NEW AI STARTUP

Mira Murati, former OpenAI CTO, is reportedly raising over $100 million for a new AI startup focused on proprietary AI models.

MIDJOURNEY PLANS TO LET ANYONE ON THE WEB EDIT IMAGES WITH AI

Midjourney plans to release an upgraded web tool for editing uploaded images using its generative AI.

FORMER CELSIUS CEO TO RETURN TO COURT ON NOV. 13

Former Celsius CEO Alex Mashinsky will return to court on November 13 to address his motion to dismiss fraud and market manipulation charges. Mashinsky faces multiple felony counts related to manipulating the price of Celsius' CEL token. He will also have a pretrial conference on January 16, with his jury trial set to begin on January 28. His co-defendant Roni Cohen-Pavon has pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on December 11.

BITCOIN BOUNCES BACK ABOVE $67,000 AS TRADERS NAVIGATE A ‘LIQUIDITY HUNT' POST-SURGE

Bitcoin has stabilized around $67,500 after a brief dip to $65,000, with analysts attributing the recent pullback to a “liquidity hunt” following last week's surge near all-time highs. Market experts expect Bitcoin to retest $70,000 resistance, with volatility anticipated around the November 5 presidential election. Other factors impacting price could be the Non-Farm Payroll data on November 1. A break above $71,000 could occur after the election.

UNISWAP INTEGRATES ACROSS FOR IN-APP BRIDGING

Uniswap has partnered with Across Protocol to bring bridging directly to the Uniswap interface. It will initially support 9 EVM chains with native assets, stablecoins, and WBTC. Uniswap and Across also co-authored ERC-7683 to standardize cross-chain Intent-based interactions. This ERC will increase the speed and simplicity of cross-chain transactions.

PRACTICAL ENDGAME ON ISSUANCE POLICY

This comprehensive proposal outlines two potential approaches to Ethereum's long-term issuance policy. The first is a “hard endgame” that caps stake growth through negative infinity yields as stake increases, and the second is a more viable endgame that maintains positive yields while probabilistically limiting stake growth. The proposal recommendeds to set a maximum issuance of 0.5% of circulating supply annually with reward curves that maintain solo staker viability. It notes the importance of considering and burning MEV to achieve optimal outcomes.

UNDERSTANDING PARALLELIZATION

Solana's use of parallelization in both transaction processing and block propagation increases throughput as it successfully simultaneously runs multiple processes. This method was not commonly used in earlier blockchains like Ethereum. Solana achieves efficiency by requiring transactions to specify which blockchain resources they access, while other blockchains like Ethereum use “optimistic parallelization”, which processes everything in parallel and addresses conflicts afterward.

CRYPTO'S ROLE IN THE AI REVOLUTION

There has been a pivotal shift between AI and crypto, where blockchain is emerging as essential infrastructure for AI development rather than merely a speculative proxy. Major apps are increasingly verticalizing by launching their own chains. There has been significant progress in token value accrual mechanisms, and AI agents beginning to demonstrate real economic activity on blockchain networks.

POSSIBLE FUTURES OF THE ETHEREUM PROTOCOL, PART 3: THE SCOURGE

The Scourge tackles the centralization risks present in block construction and staking economics. Proposals for block construction include implementing inclusion lists and encrypted mempools to reduce builder centralization, which is currently dominated by two actors controlling 88% of blocks. With 30% of ETH supply staked, developers are considering mechanisms to prevent over-staking, including adjusted issuance curves. The proposals aim to balance decentralization with economic incentives.

WHY CONSUMER CRYPTO COMPLETELY SCREWED UP

Crypto's fundamental misstep in 2021 was attempting to create artificial scarcity in digital goods, which directly opposed the Internet's trend toward democratization and abundance. Music NFTs attempted to monetize digital content when historical trends showed the value of experiences over assets. More successful approaches align with Internet principles by focusing on democratizing experiences and disintermediating middlemen.

PRIMARY BRIDGE FOR COINBASE'S L2 BASE REACHES RECORD LEVEL OF ETH HELD

There is around 623,000 ETH, worth $1.6 billion, in Base's Layer 2 bridge.

BUSINESS IMPLICATIONS OF ARBITRUM ORBIT VS OP SUPERCHAIN

OP has a more open model than Arbitrum, allowing free use of its code to deploy L2s.

POLYMARKET ELECTIONS AREN'T INEFFECTIVE EVEN THOUGH USERS ARE NOT BASED IN THE US

The claim that Polymarket odds are meaningless as users are located outside the U.S. is misleading.

USDC GLOBAL TRANSACTION VOLUME ON ETHEREUM PASSES $17T

USDC has passed $17T in total on-chain transaction volume across EVM-based platforms.

COLLINS' REBRAND OF BOSE LEAVES THE ORIGINAL 1960S WORDMARK (MOSTLY) UNTOUCHED

Collins rebranded Bose with the new perspective "Sound is Power," emphasizing its sound technology and innovation expertise. The identity includes a custom typeface, expanded wordmark, broad color palette, and dynamic visuals to maintain Bose's reputation while appealing to new audiences.

ADOBE MADE ITS PAINTING APP COMPLETELY FREE TO TAKE ON PROCREATE

Adobe has made its Fresco painting app completely free to compete with popular alternatives like Procreate and Clip Studio Paint. Fresco, designed for touch and stylus-supported devices, offers features like symmetry tools and animation presets, which were previously behind a subscription. By removing the paywall, Adobe aims to attract more illustrators, positioning Fresco as a viable option with desktop support and cloud storage despite competition from apps with loyal user bases.

STABILITY CLAIMS ITS NEWEST STABLE DIFFUSION MODELS GENERATE MORE ‘DIVERSE' IMAGES

Stability AI has launched Stable Diffusion 3.5, a customizable image-generation model series with three versions: Large, Large Turbo, and Medium. The models offer more output diversity but may face prompt issues similar to previous versions. Stability's models are free for non-commercial use and small businesses, with commercial licenses available for larger organizations.

JUST YOUR TYPE

The evolution of typography, from limited early web fonts to today's customizable variable fonts, mirrors the internet's growth. Google Fonts and variable fonts bring back the creativity of Web 1.0 while ensuring accessibility and personalization. Future web design should offer more user control, blending personal expression with modern, efficient tools.

MADE IN FIGMA: THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE GOES FROM PAPER TO PIXELS

The team that designed the National Park Service app adapted Massimo Vignelli's Unigrid System, which is used in park brochures. The app offers interactive maps, self-guided tours, and essential visitor information and ensures accessibility and consistency across parks. Figma helped streamline collaboration, allowing the team to iterate and refine designs quickly.

JONY IVE'S FORMER DESIGN TEAM IS NEARLY ALL GONE FROM APPLE, HAS IT MATTERED?

Since Jony Ive's 2019 departure, Apple has prioritized functionality and user experience over thinness. However, recent releases like the iPhone 15 Pro and Apple Watch Series 10 indicate a return to prioritizing thinness. The current design team, still influenced by Ive's philosophy, is focused on a balance between engineering and design.

MOCKUP CURATION

These expertly curated, top-quality mockups provide designers with the best resources to enhance their creative projects.

MY INVOICE (FIGMA PLUGIN)

Easily create and customize invoices directly in Figma.

TATTOON

Try the best tattoos on your body in 10 sec with no pain.

I LOVE MID-CENTURY MODERN BUT IT MAKES ME SAD

Mid-century modern design, born from postwar optimism, promised a better future but became entangled with elitism and exclusivity, prioritizing aesthetics over accessibility. While still admired for its beauty, its timeless perfection now feels cold and distant. Its resurgence may soon face a backlash as people seek more warmth, imperfection, and sustainability in their homes.

THE DESIGN SYSTEM ISN'T WORKING FOR ME!

Design system issues often stem from misunderstandings about bugs, visual discrepancies, or missing features. Clear communication between product and design system teams is essential. Collaboration can help teams identify problems, guide solutions, and avoid unnecessary work. Prioritizing conversations ensures design systems remain effective, addressing real issues and fostering long-term success.

WHY THIS NEW ZEALAND AIRPORT'S CONTROVERSIAL ‘HUG LIMIT' IS ACTUALLY CLEVER

Dunedin Airport introduced a three-minute "hug limit" in drop-off zones to ease traffic congestion, encouraging quick farewells with light-hearted signage. Though some view the policy as controversial, the airport says it is a friendly, non-enforced measure to improve traffic flow.

DESIGNERS EARN MORE THAN DESIGN MANAGERS

A study of 13,074 design salaries showed that individual contributors typically earn 3-8% higher base salaries and 11-17% more equity than managers, likely due to their direct design contributions.

THOUSANDS OF CREATIVES JOIN FORCES TO COMBAT AI DATA SCRAPING

Over 13,500 creatives, including Kazuo Ishiguro and Thom Yorke, signed a letter condemning AI data scraping for unlicensed use.

THIS ARTIST TURNS REAL PHOTOS INTO BEAUTIFUL ONE-LINE MINIMALIST DRAWINGS

Instagram artist @Lovetattoo__warszawa crafts captivating “One-Line” drawings, turning complex photos into minimalist art with a single continuous stroke.

GAMES MARKETING FIRM LIVEWIRE ON THE ATTENTION ECONOMY ACROSS GENERATIONS

Gen Z and Gen Alpha expect brands to engage with them in-game through immersive experiences, not just traditional ads. 76% of Gen Alpha gamers enjoy branded in-game moments like custom worlds or character skins, compared to 54% of Gen Z and 49% of Millennials. These younger generations prefer playable experiences over video ads and value immersion in gaming and advertising. Brands must adapt to this shift by creating engaging, authentic in-game experiences to capture attention. Games companies also need to work closely with advertisers to meet these new expectations.

NEW FIVE9 STUDY FINDS 75% OF CONSUMERS PREFER TALKING TO A HUMAN FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE

Empathy and human touch are still essential in CX despite AI's presence. While AI can streamline routine tasks, over half of consumers report frustration with chatbots, particularly among older generations. With increased holiday demand, brands must manage AI and human interactions effectively to maintain loyalty, as 40% of consumers link positive CX with brand commitment.