🚀 Midjourney Office Hours Highlights: August 28th

MidJourney's recent office hours were packed with exciting updates and future plans that promise to elevate the user experience to new heights. From personalization systems to potential new model releases, the team is working tirelessly to bring innovative features to the platform. Here’s a comprehensive summary of what was shared: If you prefer to just get the gist of it, jump down to the TL;DR; section.

Extended Recap

Here's a detailed recap of what was shared:

Personalization System 🎨

One of the most anticipated updates is the introduction of a new personalization system. This system will allow users to create multiple personalization profiles, offering a general upgrade that brings more diversity in styles. The goal is to better understand variations and dependencies in user preferences, making the experience more tailored and unique. The team is aiming to release this feature soon, so stay tuned!

Model Releases 🧠

The team is currently debating between releasing MidJourney 6.2 or jumping straight to Version 7 (V7).

MidJourney 6.2 promises several improvements, including better prompt understanding, improved multi-language support, slightly better image quality, and faster performance. However, the decision is still pending on whether to release 6.2 or focus on the more comprehensive update with V7.

Version 7 (V7) is expected to be a major upgrade with "all the bells and whistles," featuring a cleaner system architecture. Although the release date is uncertain, it is likely more than a month away as it is still in the training phase.

Depth Control 🌊

A new version of depth control is in development, and the team is debating how to present it in the UI. This feature feels different from standard MidJourney creations, and there are considerations for a separate tab or a different naming convention to distinguish it.

3D and Video Models 🎥

Exciting progress is being made in 3D data collection and video model development. The video model development is progressing faster than expected, with a possible release of a V6 video model before V7. Video capabilities might come before 3D features, and the team is debating whether to release earlier versions to gather data.

Website and UI Updates 🌐

The team is testing a Big Grid feature, which involves larger grid layouts. However, there are concerns about the UI changes needed for an optimal experience, and this may be delayed due to the prioritization of personalization improvements. The current website is optimized for batch 4, making larger batch sizes challenging.

Mobile and Desktop Apps 📱💻

Plans are in place to improve the mobile version of the website, particularly for Android users. The development of mobile apps is being considered, though there is some conflict about the fit. A desktop app is also in consideration, which would be similar to the website but with added notifications.

Other UI Improvements 🛠️

The development of a style explorer is currently on hold, and the team is hiring front-end web engineers to help with development. While UI development may slow down, the result will be better interfaces for users.

Ongoing Projects and Research 🔬

A personality test is available on the announcements page, taking about 15 minutes to complete. This test measures users on 200 different traits, and the data will be used for research and product development.

Hardware Team 🖥️

A hardware team is being built to explore hardware products. This is a long-term project, and while products may be shown off in the relatively short term, they will not be for sale immediately.

Miscellaneous 📝

Weekly MidJourney office hours are held every Wednesday at 12 p.m. PST. The team is hiring for various positions, and interested candidates can contact [email protected]. There is also consideration for a MidJourney swag competition and brand-related items. However, there are challenges with scaling recruitment and interviews.

Future Considerations 🔮

The team is looking into improved character and style references, the possibility of smaller brush sizes in the editor, and potential for question ranking and submission in future live demos.

TL;DR;

Personalization System 🎨: Multiple profiles, more diversity, better user preference understanding.

Model Releases 🧠: Debating between MidJourney 6.2 (better prompt understanding, multi-language support) and Version 7 (major update, cleaner architecture).

Depth Control 🌊: New version in development, considering UI presentation.

3D and Video Models 🎥: Progressing fast, video capabilities might come before 3D.

Website and UI Updates 🌐: Big Grid feature testing, mobile and desktop app improvements.

Ongoing Projects 🔬: Personality test for research, hardware team exploring new products.

Miscellaneous 📝: Weekly office hours, hiring, swag competition, scaling recruitment challenges.

Future Considerations 🔮: Improved character/style references, smaller brush sizes, question ranking in live demos.

Stay tuned for more updates as Midjourney continues to innovate and enhance its platform!

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