🚀 Midjourney Office Hours Highlights: February 26th

Midjourney has some exciting updates coming soon, as shared in their recent office hours. The team is busy improving their website and editor tools, focusing on making selection and layer features better. They're also working on a big batch mode for advanced personalization training. The editor upgrades should be available soon, but the big batch mode will take a bit more time and will come after they release their V7 model.

For a quick overview, head straight to the TL;DR; section otherwise keep on reading.

Extended Recap

Midjourney is on the brink of some thrilling advancements, as revealed in their recent office hours. The team is hard at work enhancing their website and editor tools, with a focus on better selection and layer functionalities. A significant update is the development of a big batch mode aimed at advanced personalization training. While editor improvements are expected to roll out soon, the big batch mode will require additional research and development and is slated to follow the release of their V7 model.

🖥️ V7 Model: A Leap Forward

The V7 model is in the works with two versions: a fast, real-time variant and a slower, higher-quality one. The slower version promises a substantial improvement in prompt understanding compared to V6. The training process involves several stages, starting with low-resolution tuning, moving to high-resolution training, integrating an omni-reference system, and finally, distillation to optimize speed. The team is nearing the final stages of development, aiming for a model that is faster and more cost-effective than its predecessor.

🎥 Video Model: In-House Innovation

Midjourney has decided to develop an in-house video model rather than partnering or licensing. A small-scale video model is currently under iteration, showing promising aesthetic improvements. The main challenges lie in scaling the model and optimizing both text-to-video and image-to-video pipelines. The team is considering community feedback to refine the model further, ensuring it meets user expectations.

💰 Pricing and Economics: Balancing Act

Initially concerned about the high costs of video production, Midjourney is working to optimize expenses through new cloud vendor partnerships and advanced optimization techniques. They aim to keep their offerings accessible across all tiers, while also considering premium plans for professionals. The focus remains on balancing speed, quality, and cost in upcoming releases.

🔧 Hardware and Infrastructure: Scaling Up

Significant upgrades are underway in Midjourney's hardware labs, including the construction of new physical installations and large-scale data center operations. The team is managing thousands of servers and planning cloud transitions to support video and model scaling. They are preparing for potential challenges with scaling but are confident in their ability to mitigate risks.

👥 Personalization and User Onboarding: Enhancing Experience

Midjourney is placing emphasis on enhancing personalization training flows and improving onboarding processes to attract a broader user base. They are considering free trial options while being cautious of potential abuse. Users are encouraged to try new personalization features to boost engagement and make the most of the platform's capabilities.

🔮 Future Projects and Partnerships: On the Horizon

While 3D model development is postponed until after the V7 and video releases, Midjourney is finalizing partnerships for innovative hardware projects. New prototype developments are aimed at scaling production efficiently, with future projects expected to integrate seamlessly with current advancements in model quality and interface design.

TL;DR

🖥️ Website & Editor: Enhancements in editor tools and big batch mode for personalization.

🚀 V7 Model: Two versions in progress, nearing final stages for improved performance.

🎥 Video Model: Developing in-house with focus on scaling and community feedback.

💰 Pricing: Optimizing costs to keep offerings accessible, balancing speed, quality, and cost.

🔧 Hardware: Upgrades in infrastructure to support scaling and smooth operations.

👥 Personalization: Improving user onboarding and personalization features.

🔮 Future Projects: Postponed 3D model development, innovative hardware partnerships in progress.

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

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