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Nvidia Uses AI to Slash Bandwidth on Video Calls

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Re: Nvidia Uses AI to Slash Bandwidth on Video Calls

#12
> they have managed to reduce the required bandwidth for a video call by an order of magnitude. In one example, the required data rate fell from 97.28 KB/frame to a measly 0.1165 KB/frame – a reduction to 0.1% of required bandwidth.

A nitpick, perhaps, but isn't that three orders of magnitude?

We've already seen people use outlandish backgrounds in calls, now it's going to be possible to design similar outlandish views, but actually be this new invention in real time. There's been a lot of discussion centered around deep fakes and its problems, this is essentially deep faking yourself into whatever you want.

Video calls are a very important form of communication at the moment, if this becomes as accepted as background modification, that would open the societal door to a whole range of self presentation that up till now was restricted to in game virtual characters.

I wonder what kind of implications that could have. Would people come to identify themselves strongly with a virtual avatar, perhaps stronger than their real life "avatar"? It is an awesome freedom to have, to remake yourself.

Re: Nvidia Uses AI to Slash Bandwidth on Video Calls

#13

> they have managed to reduce the required bandwidth for a video call by an order of magnitude. In one example, the required data rate fell from 97.28 KB/frame to a measly 0.1165 KB/frame – a reduction to 0.1% of required bandwidth. A nitpick, perhaps, but isn't that three orders of magnitude? We've already seen people use outlandish backgrounds in calls, now it's going to be possible to design similar outlandish vie…

>Video calls are a very important form of communication at the moment, if this becomes as accepted as background modification, that would open the societal door to a whole range of self presentation that up till now was restricted to in game virtual characters.

Thanks for that comment. Can't wait for it to happen !

Re: Nvidia Uses AI to Slash Bandwidth on Video Calls

#14

Nvidia Uses AI to Slash Bandwidth on Video Calls... But only if everybody in the call has a 600$ Nvidia GPU

Depends on how big the network is. You can process neural networks on CPU with acceptable speed in certain cases. And nicer smart phones tend to have a decent GPU.

Indeed, making this tool usable for consumers is a challenge in and of itself.

Re: Nvidia Uses AI to Slash Bandwidth on Video Calls

#15

> they have managed to reduce the required bandwidth for a video call by an order of magnitude. In one example, the required data rate fell from 97.28 KB/frame to a measly 0.1165 KB/frame – a reduction to 0.1% of required bandwidth. A nitpick, perhaps, but isn't that three orders of magnitude? We've already seen people use outlandish backgrounds in calls, now it's going to be possible to design similar outlandish vie…

> A nitpick, perhaps, but isn't that three orders of magnitude?

I dunno that I'd call it three orders - it's close at about 830x - but it's definitely not even close to being one order either.

Re: Nvidia Uses AI to Slash Bandwidth on Video Calls

#16
I wonder how weird it gets when you turn your head too much. This is very cool though - I was expecting to be able to tell a difference and maybe slip into uncanny valley territory but it looks good.

Big question though - is this just substituting the problem of not having good internet with not having a really fast nVidia graphics card?

Re: Nvidia Uses AI to Slash Bandwidth on Video Calls

#17

Nvidia Uses AI to Slash Bandwidth on Video Calls... But only if everybody in the call has a 600$ Nvidia GPU

That would still have major advantages. You could use the extra bandwidth to stabilize everything. Even on the best of networks you have buffer pauses. And on wifi or cell you have a lot of those. If this can be used to improved those ... you'll have improved quality greatly.
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