The newest version of the AI chatbot Grok, Grok-2, can now generate images using the new FLUX.1 model by Black Forest Labs. We’ve been using Grok-2 (now available to X premium users) to create images all day until the limiter booted us. Before, it showed me Mickey whipping Donald, in a nice way. Dall-E or Gemini would give you a time out just for asking.
Google image generation just took a great leap forward with Imagen 3, which is available to try for free via ImageFX and Vertex AI. These compete with Midjourney, Dall-E, Ideogram, and the rest of the best.
Semiconductor startup Groq Raises $640 million. The Silicon Valley firm, founded by a former Alphabet engineer, specializes in producing AI inference chips, a type of semiconductor that optimizes speed and executes commands of pre-trained models. Of course they have nothing to do with sound-alike AI company Grok, founded by Elon Musk. Cisco Investments, Samsung Catalyst Fund and BlackRock Private Equity Partners led the round, among others, bringing Groq’s valuation in this Series D round to $2.8 billion.
ArborXR secures $12 million to boost its management platform for AR and VR devices. The VR device management platform, which caters to enterprise customers, simplifies the deployment, management, and security of AR and VR devices across industries like healthcare, education, and manufacturing. ArborXR plans to use the funds to accelerate product development, expand its team, and support the growing adoption of immersive technologies in enterprise settings. Investors in this round include Qualcomm Ventures and M12, Microsoft’s venture fund. ArborXR previously raised $5.5 million in earlier rounds bringing the company’s total funding to approximately $17.5 million.
Manga webcomic platform VoyceMe raises $7.5 million Seed Round for AI creator tools. VoyceMe is a popular English-speaking manga and webtoon site that attracts over eight million monthly visits. They’d previously raised a $2.5 million pre-seed round in 2022. The content on the site is currently created by professionals, using VoyceMe’s ethically-created proprietary AI tools. VoyceMe plans to roll out its new generative AI platform, which 23-year old founder Dylan Telano says will further democratize content creation. Redpoint Ventures led the round with contributions from Torch Capital, Red Sea Ventures, and Clara Vista Partners.
Fly Brings Google Earth To Quest, Finally. Previously, Google Earth, arguably XR’s more iconic experience, was only available on Steam for PCVR users. Now it’s available on Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro as Fly from Virzoom. It was due years ago, but was shelved in 2018 due to Google’s pause on the Earth API. Thankfully, the project has been resurrected, leveraging the newly available Google Earth Tiles API. The fully immersive flight experience allows users to explore the globe. Fly particularly shines on the Vision Pro, where it runs at 2.5 times the resolution of the Quest 3, offering a smoother, more detailed journey.
Yokai is a new AI short by Luis Riancho (TechHalla) and Galeon Studios. “In 2017, I decided to pivot my career towards software development projects involving AI, particularly in Machine Learning and Computer Vision,” said former Spanish telecom engineer Luis Riancho. With the public release of ChatGPT and the launch of MidJourney version 5, Riancho dedicated himself to mastering these tools. On his well regarded YouTube Channel, Riancho posts short, concise three to four minute tutorials in order to demonstrate how easy it can be to achieve incredible results when using the right prompts and tools. “I’m particularly passionate about workflows that integrate multiple apps and tools, as the possibilities expand exponentially when these are combined.” Riancho launched Galeon Studios with two other creatives to take on commercial work while continuing to work on personal projects like Yokai.
The Virtuix Omni One is shipping next month. Are you ready to experience VR like the characters in Ready Player One? Virtuix, an overnight success that has taken ten years, is finally launching its long awaited omnidirectional treadmill. Users strap in, and don overshoes with a low-friction sole, to have a real haptic presence in the virtual world. Strapped into place with a velcro harness, the Omni treadmill allows users to walk and run in any direction. Fifty VR titles have been created for or adapted to work with the dish. In addition, the Omni Arena, which uses the same technology, can be found in public places all over the world, where millions of people have tried it. The Omni One is for the home. The device is priced at $2,595 and includes a Pico 4 VR headset. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, Virtuix has raised over $40 million from individual and institutional investors.
Happy 8th Birthday To VR’s Best Blogger, Tony “Skarred Ghost” Vitillo. Since 2016, Tony’s free blog has provided in-depth reviews, industry insights, and the professional developer’s personal reflections on the industry. This column is a frequent beneficiary of the many lessons Tony shares.
This column, formerly called “This Week in XR,” is also a podcast hosted by author Charlie Fink, Ted Schilowitz, former studio executive and co-founder of Red Camera, and Rony Abovitz, founder of Magic Leap. This week our guest is Akash Nigam, CEO & Founder of Genies, An Avatar Technology Company. We can be found on Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube.
What We’re Reading
Replika CEO Eugenia Kuyda says it’s okay if we end up marrying AI chatbots. Transcript of a podcast interview with the head of chatbot maker Replika, who discusses the role AI will play in the future of human relationships. (Nilay Patel, editor-in-chief of The Verge, host of the Decoder podcast, and co-host of The Vergecast)
