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IC-RELIGHT

AI Relighting tool that uses foreground separation and text conditioning for extremely strong results.

EFFICIENT MOBILE VIDEO UNDERSTANDING

SqueezeTime is a new lightweight network designed for mobile video understanding that condenses the time axis of videos into the channel dimension to enhance temporal analysis.

SPEEDING UP FOUNDATION MODEL TRAINING

EfficientTrain++ introduces a novel curriculum learning strategy that significantly reduces the training time of major visual models like ResNet and Swin by up to three times on ImageNet databases.

NOUS HERMES FIRST MODEL MERGE (HUGGING FACE HUB)

The new Theta model is a merge between Hermes 2 Pro and Llama 3 8B instruct. It has excellent function calling capabilities and strong performance on a variety of benchmarks.

AI SPENDING GREW 293% LAST YEAR

Ramp's Q1 analysis reveals a 293% year-over-year increase in AI-related spending among its customers, outpacing overall software spend growth, with a significant adoption in non-tech sectors like healthcare and financial services, indicating a broader integration of AI into various industries. Despite a general slowdown in new investments in AI, companies already using AI are doubling down, with average spending on AI tools growing by 138% year-over-year, while finance tools also see increased usage and businesses maintain cautious approaches to travel expenditure.

DETECTING OUT-OF-DISTRIBUTION DATA

Hopfield Boosting is a technique that utilizes modern Hopfield energy to enhance the detection of out-of-distribution (OOD) data in machine learning models.

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BRAINTRUST AI RECRUITER (PRODUCT)

Braintrust's AI Recruiter can do things like generate job descriptions, match candidates, async interviews, and grading.

AI COPILOTS ARE CHANGING HOW CODING IS TAUGHT

Educators are shifting away from syntax and emphasizing higher-level skills.

OPENAI'S CUSTOM GPT STORE IS NOW OPEN TO ALL FOR FREE

The ability to browse and use OpenAI's GPT store is now available to all users.

FEDS ARREST CRYPTO BROS FOR 'ATTACKING ETHEREUM' WITH MEV EXPLOIT

The U.S. Department of Justice has arrested Anton and James Pepaire-Bueno, charging them with using a maximal extractable value (MEV) exploit to illicitly obtain $25 million from Ethereum blockchain transactions in just 12 seconds. This unprecedented scheme involved manipulating pending transactions to redirect funds, a significant manipulation of blockchain technology.

VANGUARD APPOINTS BITCOIN-FRIENDLY FORMER BLACKROCK ETF LEAD AS CEO

Investment management firm Vanguard has appointed Salim Ramji as its new CEO and board member. Ramji previously led BlackRock's global ETF department, overseeing the iShares spot Bitcoin ETF launch. Vanguard was previously anti-Bitcoin and did not allow brokerage account holders to buy Bitcoin ETFs as they thought the assets were too risky. Analysts are mixed on whether this hire will shift Vanguard's position on Bitcoin.

UTOPÍA LABS LAUNCHES TORI, A NEW-LOOK CRYPTO WALLET

Tori, launched by the Utopia Labs team, aims to simplify DeFi access by offering a user-friendly, self-custody wallet with FaceID, instant bank connections, and high APYs (via Aave). People based in the US can currently get access to the app by invite.

SPARK, THE FIRST MAKER SUBDAO SET TO LAUNCH

Spark, the first SubDAO under MakerDAO, is set to launch along with its native token SPK, SparkLend, and Spark Cash & Savings as part of its suite of DeFi products. The initiative aims to decentralize banking-like features through the Dai Savings Rate. Users have a chance to pre-farm SPK tokens ahead of its launch. Spark's governance model and phased token distribution strategy encourages long-term stability and community engagement.

8 REASONS WHY LAYERZERO'S UPCOMING AIRDROP COULD BE THE MOST COMPLEX EVER

LayerZero's upcoming airdrop is set to be one of the most complex ever due to its massive scale, involving over six million wallets, and the necessity to manage equitable token distribution across its diverse user base. The airdrop, timed with LayerZero's token generation event, faces additional complexities from cross-blockchain operations, varying community expectations, and the challenging task of preventing fraud among participants.

ANALYSIS OF THE LATIN AMERICAN CRYPTO LANDSCAPE

Crypto in Latin America is driven by economic instability and inadequate banking services. Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico lead in usage due to their unique economic challenges. Brazil boasts a developed crypto market with high Bitcoin demand, Argentina utilizes crypto to preserve value amid hyperinflation, and Mexico leverages it for cost-effective remittance solutions. These examples demonstrate the region's varied but growing embrace of digital currencies.

$20M EXPLOIT CRIPPLES SONNE FINANCE, HACKER IN NO MOOD FOR NEGOTIATION

Sonne Finance, a decentralized money market on the Optimism L2, has been exploited for $20 million. Sonne offered a 10% bounty to the hacker if the funds were returned, but the money is already being moved to other addresses. The hacker took advantage of a known bug in Compound V2, which Sonne forked for its protocol.

BRING ICO'S BACK: DISTRIBUTED TOKEN LAUNCHES (DTL'S)

This article promotes bringing back Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) through a new method called Distributed Token Launches (DTLs). It criticizes traditional venture capital for often excluding the wider community. The article highlights the significance of involving the community in funding processes, arguing that decentralized, community-focused approaches can spur innovation and create greater value. It uses examples from successful crypto projects to illustrate the benefits.

BLAST DELAYS TOKEN DISTRIBUTION

Blast airdrop will now launch on June 26 instead of its initial estimate of May.

TOKEN DESIGN ISSUES WITH $FRIEND

The $FRIEND token faces two key issues: a misalignment of interests between equity and token holders because the team doesn't own any tokens (no incentive to increase price), and the token's limited tradeability on other DEXs.

MASTERCARD CHOOSES 5 STARTUPS FOR BLOCKCHAIN USE-CASE DEVELOPMENT

Mastercard's Start Path program aims to develop blockchain use cases and improve digital commerce experiences.

OKLAHOMA GOVERNOR SIGNS BLOCKCHAIN BASICS ACT

HB3594, the Blockchain Basics Act, codifies the rights of citizens to run a node, mine, and self-custody their Bitcoin.

EL SALVADOR MINES $29 MILLION BTC USING VOLCANO ENERGY

El Salvador has mined 474 Bitcoin using geothermal energy from its volcano in the past three years.

GOOGLE IS REDESIGNING ITS SEARCH ENGINE — AND IT'S AI ALL THE WAY DOWN

Google is incorporating AI into its search engine with features like "AI Overviews" and a new planning tool. It aims to deliver summarized answers, automatic categorization, and personalized results using its Gemini AI to understand queries, generate summaries, and design result pages. For users, this could mean a completely new way to interact with the internet: less typing, fewer tabs, and more chatting with a search engine.

BANKSY MUSEUM OPENS IN NYC TO BRING ELUSIVE WORK TO FANS: ‘IF PEOPLE CAN'T SEE IT, IS IT EVEN ART?'

The new Banksy Museum in New York City offers visitors the chance to view over 160 recreated works of the elusive street artist's art, many of which are no longer visible in their original locations. While the artist's identity remains a mystery, fans can now experience the essence of his guerilla-style street art in a Manhattan gallery setting.

NEW GENERATIVE MEDIA MODELS AND TOOLS, BUILT WITH AND FOR CREATORS

Google has introduced Veo, a high-definition video generation model, and Imagen 3, a top-tier text-to-image model, advancing generative media technologies' capabilities. It also unveiled collaborations with artists in its Music AI Sandbox. Google aims to deploy its AI responsibly and has added safety measures like digital watermarks.

REDEFINING PRODUCTIVITY

Outlook for Windows has been redefined with a focus on craftsmanship, personalization, and intelligence. The redesign integrates user feedback and AI-powered features like Copilot to enhance productivity. The Outlook team has invited users to share experiences and suggestions to continue refining the email client.

WHY MANY STARTUPS NEVER ACHIEVE GREAT DESIGN (AND HAPPY USERS)

It can be challenging for even highly skilled professionals to achieve meaningful results in startups because they need an environment that allows them to flourish. Apple, Netflix, and Tesla achieved their design success primarily by enhancing design maturity and empowering their teams. The process to reach that stage of maturity is not predictable, but startup founders can avoid pitfalls such as failing to learn design basics, misinterpreting hiring patterns, ignoring user research, and tolerating a feature factory mentality.

BRILLIANT FRICTION

Adding positive friction to UX means adding effort while simultaneously providing value to users. Coinbase, Headspace, and Mailchimp successfully introduced intentional friction to user experiences in flows like registration and onboarding, important UI decisions, and purchasing.

TYPE DESIGN RESOURCES

From learning the basics to running your foundry, this growing, public, and collaborative collection of type design resources will help you to level up your typography skills.

AI LOGO DESIGN

Stylar is an AI-powered all-in-one logo generation and editing tool that lets you create unique, memorable logos and bring them to life with 3D text effects.

SMALL, FEATURE-RICH CALENDAR COMPONENTS

Cally is an open-source calendar component for selecting single dates or date ranges. It's framework-agnostic, themeable, localizable, and accessible.

PLAY DESIGN AS AN INFINITE GAME

Designers exist as part of an extensive organizational system over which they have limited influence. Instead of being fatalistic about current challenges, they should stay proactive by keeping their eyes open and addressing problems as they arise, investing wisely in the long-term journey of their career, life, and legacy.

WITH BLOCKS THAT MOVE AND SLOT IN, HYMN BUILDS A TETRIS-LIKE IDENTITY FOR THE SWISS MUSEUM OF GAMES

The Swiss Museum of Games, dedicated to game history, received a branding update from Hymn. The update aimed to evoke the spirit of play with a flexible visual system inspired by various games. Using a modular design akin to Tetris and the playful typeface Studio Feixen's Ease, the new branding is timeless, resonating with diverse audiences and adaptable to the museum's evolving needs.

IS THE PLANET THE MISSING MEMBER OF YOUR PROJECT TEAM?

The internet's energy consumption has a significant environmental impact. Designers need to treat the planet as a stakeholder in their projects and intentionally incorporate sustainability into the design process. Implementing a "climate budget" for digital products, inviting the planet into design discussions, and setting sustainability targets are crucial steps towards making the internet more environmentally friendly.

I'M A CREATIVE DIRECTOR WITH DYSLEXIA; AI TAKES MY CREATIVITY TO PLACES I NEVER IMAGINED

AI can help dyslexic individuals transform mental images into designs more quickly, especially when working against tight deadlines.

THE MOST ANNOYING DESIGN TRENDS ACCORDING TO GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Among the most disliked design trends on Reddit's r/graphic_design is soulless minimalism, followed by 80s/90s-inspired logo design.

DARK MODE & ACCESSIBILITY MYTH

Dark mode is considered good for accessibility because it improves text readability.

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INSTAGRAM LAUNCHES NEW INTERVIEW SERIES WITH TOP CREATORS

Instagram launched a new informational interview series featuring a range of creators talking with Instagram development leaders about the platform and their concerns and challenges. The series is designed to provide insights directly from creators on all aspects of growing on Instagram. Topics include effective monetization approaches, community engagement, and AI advances. The first video in the series is included in the article.

GOOGLE ROLLS OUT AI OVERVIEWS FOR MORE COMPLEX SEARCHES

Google is rolling out its AI Overviews search to U.S.-based users of Google Search. AI Overviews gives answers to queries using generative AI technology powered by Google Gemini. It provides a few snippets of an answer based on its understanding of queries and the content it found on the topic across the web.

HOW TO MAKE USERS SCROLL DOWN YOUR PAGE

Long pages often beat shorter pages in A/B tests. For a long page to be effective, you need to get readers to scroll down. Five tactics to encourage scrolling: avoid false page bottoms, use explicit signals to indicate there's more content, provide a clear benefit to progressing through the content, add “click-to-scroll” functionality, and add a sticky call to action. The best way to find out what works for your users is to run tests on your pages.

CREATE ADS LIKE WEGLOT

Weglot uses an effective and repeatable strategy in its digital ads. Its copy describes the user problem in a customer's own words. This is paired with creative that connects that customer to Weglot's solution and real KPIs that the customer achieved. The CTA uses objection-focused copy to show how easy it is to get started.

HOW TO GET THE BIGGEST SQUEEZE OUT OF YOUR BRAND FILM

This guide shares tactics to get the most out of your brand film by turning it into a treasure trove of marketing assets. Short video clips, behind-the-scenes content, and impactful quotes can all be extracted and repurposed to maintain audience engagement and maximize your marketing budget. This approach not only enhances your content calendar but also builds early excitement and stronger connections with your audience.

5 AI CHROME EXTENSIONS TO ENHANCE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY

5 helpful extensions, including Jasper Everywhere for seamless AI integration, Natural Reader for converting text to audio, and ParagraphAI for crafting polished content effortlessly.

KLEO.SO

This free Chrome extension helps you preview your content before posting on LinkedIn. You can see how your posts, images, and carousels will look on mobile, tablet, or desktop. There are also filters to quickly sift through past posts based on format, date, and popularity.

MASCOTS: WHY WE LOVE AND BUY FROM BRANDS THAT USE MASCOTS

Mascots increase connection with a brand by 41%, in part because people form emotional bonds with them. Using a mascot long-term can increase profits by 34.1%. Companies should consider adding a mascot to their branding and then use it regularly so consumers recognize it. A mascot can be useful for customer engagement and provides an opportunity to showcase your brand's personality in your brand voice.