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Stability AI, the company behind popular text-to-image AI program Stable Diffusion, has raised new funding that values the company at around $1 billion (according to a report from Bloomberg citing a “person familiar with the matter”). It’s a significant validation of the company’s approach to AI development, which, in contrast to incumbents like OpenAI and Google, focuses on open-source models that anyone can use without oversight.

in a press statementStability AI said it raised $101 million in a round led by Coatue, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and O’Shaughnessy Ventures, and that it will use the money to “accelerate the development of open AI models for image, language, audio, video, 3D, and more, for consumer and enterprise use cases globally.”

Anyone can build on Stability AI’s code — or use it without moderation

Stable Diffusion is one of the leading examples of text-to-image AI, which includes models like OpenAI’s DALL-E, Google’s Imagen, and Midjourney. However, Stability AI has differentiated its wares by making its software open-source. That means anyone can build on the company’s code or even use it to power their own commercial offerings.

Stability AI offers its own commercial version of the model, called DreamStudio, and says it plans to generate revenue by developing this underlying infrastructure and customizing versions of the software for corporate clients. The company is based in London and has around 100 employees around the globe. It says it plans to expand this to around 300 staff over the following year. The company also makes

The most interesting EV concepts at the 2022 SEMA conference

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| Computer, Computers

The Specialty Equipment Market Association, or SEMA, held its annual conference in Las Vegas this week. Billed as one of the biggest car shows in the world, the event typically brings together more than 135,000 in the automotive aftermarket industry to see the newest trends in vehicle repairs and modifications.

And this year, EVs were a particular focus. The event featured a dedicated space for EVs, labeled “SEMA Electrified,” and according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, it was 740 percent larger compared to 2019, when it was first debuted. Several major automakers showed up with a bunch of unique EV concepts in tow. Here are some of the ones that stood out the most.

Ford

Ford brought 10 vehicles to SEMA this year, including three EVs based on the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning.

First up is the Mustang Mach-E True Mustang Persona built by Dom Tucci Design (Tucci Hot Rods) and Kay Automotive Graphics. The vehicle, which is based on a dual-motor 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT, features a muscular custom lift-gate spoiler, fender arches with 3D-printed fender flares, vacuum-formed transparent wheel covers, and a 3D-printed front lips.

Up next is the Ford F-150 Lightning Race Support built by Real Truck and Motor City Solutions. Equipped with an air compressor, leveling kit, off-road recovery boards, and Recaro seats along with a fully mobile toolbox and welding equipment, Ford says that this electric pickup is “equally at home on the road and at a

Intel reportedly planning major layoffs, likely affecting thousands of jobs

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| Computer, Computers

Intel is planning substantial job cuts, likely numbering in the thousands, according to a report from Bloomberg News. The reduction in headcount is a response to declining demand for the company’s consumer chips — part of a wider downturn in the PC market.

The layoffs will hit Intel’s sales and marketing teams particularly hard, says Bloomberg, affecting around 20 percent of team members. The cuts will reportedly be announced “as early as this month,” around the same time as Intel’s third-quarter earnings report on October 27th. The company currently has 113,700 employees.

After two years of booming sales during the pandemic, the PC market is now struggling. Recent analysis from Gartner found that worldwide shipments totaled 68 million units in the third quarter of 2022 — a 19.5 percent decrease compared to 2021. Gartner says this is the steepest market decline its recorded since it began tracking the market in the mid-1990s.

“This quarter’s results could mark a historic slowdown for the PC market.”

“This quarter’s results could mark a historic slowdown for the PC market,” said Gartner director analyst Mikako Kitagawa in a press statement. “Back to school sales ended with disappointing results despite massive promotions and price drops, due to a lack of need as many consumers had purchased new PCs in the last two years. On the business side, geopolitical and economic uncertainties led to more selective IT spending, and PCs were not at the top of the priority list.”

Intel raised these difficulties

Hinge plans to add video verification feature as ‘romance scams’ soar

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| Computer, Computers

Match Group dating app Hinge is rolling out a new verification feature next month that will allow users to prove who they say they are by filming a short video selfie, Wired reports. The optional feature will prompt users to record a short clip, which Match Group will then compare against the photos posted on their profiles using a combination of machine learning tools and human moderation. If a user passes the test, their profile gets a “Verified” badge, providing an additional assurance to would-be daters.

The launch of the feature comes as the amount of money lost as part of so-called “romance scams” is soaring. In February, the FTC reported that people lost a record $547 million to these scams in 2021, an increase of 80 percent compared to the previous year. The exact specifics of the scams vary, but often involve asking for help while claiming to be suffering from a financial or health crisis, or needing money to claim an inheritance or close an important business deal.

“We are committed to investing in new updates and technologies that prevent harm to our daters”

Scammers may also use dating apps to encourage their victims to “invest” in cryptocurrencies, while actually having them transfer their funds to illegal cryptocurrency exchanges, The New York Times reports. “A growing trend in 2021 was scammers using romance as a hook to lure people into bogus investments, especially cryptocurrencies,” the FTC says, noting that $139 million of cryptocurrency was reported as

Best MacBook deals for November 2022

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| Computer, Computers

With multiple configurations and various models to choose from, finding a deal on an M1-equipped MacBook or Mac Mini is not all that difficult. It’s sometimes a slightly different story for the MacBook Pros with the beefier M1 Pro and M1 Max CPUs, but any savings you can get on those Pro models is sure to be worthwhile. As for the newer 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air with M2 processors, it may take time to see truly sizable savings.

Here, we’ll run through the discounts that are currently available for the current MacBooks, as well as any deals to be had on the Mac Mini. Of course, you may still find older Intel-based configurations lying around, with some heavy closeout sales. While those are compatible with the , we strongly recommend opting for a newer model now that Apple has its M1 and M2 chips across the MacBook Air and Pro lines. There is really no downside to opting for Apple’s own silicon, save for Windows Boot Camp holdouts.

Alternatively, purchasing refurbished is another way to save money on an Apple computer. Apple’s refurbished store provides a one-year warranty on all products and generally has discounts of 15 to 20 percent off the price of a new unit. If you’re looking for a new model, however, here are the best MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini deals available.

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Category: Computers

Stability AI, proponent of hands-off AI image generation, gets a $1 billion valuation

The most interesting EV concepts at the 2022 SEMA conference

Ford

Intel reportedly planning major layoffs, likely affecting thousands of jobs

Hinge plans to add video verification feature as ‘romance scams’ soar

Best MacBook deals for November 2022

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The best MacBook Air deals