RNP-004 Recap + SIGGRAPH Preview (BTN: Friday, August 4th, 2023)

With a new RNP vote freshly concluded and SIGGRAPH 2023 on the horizon, the Render Network team takes a look forward towards the immediate future.

RNP-004 Recap

The final community vote for RNP-004: Compute Clients came to a close on August 1st, passing with 1.2m RNDR cast to approve vs. 371 RNDR to deny. This means that RNP-004 has officially been added to the Render Network roadmap, and will be queued up for development and implementation in the future. For more information on the Roadmap, as well updates regarding the timeline surrounding feature development, please follow the Render Network and Render Network Foundation for updates.

For those that perhaps missed this latest vote or are unaware of RNP-004 and what it means for the Network, more information can be gleaned from earlier posts here and here, but to summarize:

RNP-004 proposes the introduction of an API to the Render Network that would allow for Render Network Nodes to be utilized for compute operations. This API would be developed by the ANTBIT team and would be an opt-in feature for Node Operators, allowing them an alternative way to earn, in addition to the main rendering service, where nodes provide rendering power for creators on the Render Network. Instead, their nodes would be utilized in a variety of ways as a large GPU pool. From the outset, as outlined by ANTBIT’s team in the RNP, the node pool would likely be utilized by machine learning teams for AI model training and large language models.

Like the Render Network’s current operations, this would be in an ‘on-demand’ capacity, IE when a project needs a node cluster for machine learning operations, they will access the ANTBIT client and through them temporarily rent GPUs from the Render Network node pool, paying for time used and work done similar to how the Render Network functions. Like the Render Network as well, Nodes will develop a reputation score for ANTBIT work done, which will likewise impact future ANTBIT work assignments and availability/performance rewards (as they are released).

As mentioned above, a key component is that this would be an opt-in, not opt-out function, meaning that Node Operators would voluntarily enter their nodes into the pool for utilization by ANTBIT clients. Node Operators would need to register information with the ANTBIT team in order to make their nodes available, as framed by ANTBIT’s team:

“As increasing amounts of supply onboard to the network, pricing will be tiered based on availability, hardware specifications, bandwidth, and geography. Render Network nodes will need to opt-in to supply this information through Antbit’s client.”

This new RNP can be considered a game-changer for the Render Network on two main fronts:

1. It will greatly expand the user base and use cases of the Render Network as a whole, pushing it beyond just rendering functionality and into the expanding market of AI and machine learning tools.
2. It is the first case in which an external API has been built for the Render Network, marking an expansion in development within the Render Network ecosystem. As the Network continues to expand and evolve, ANTBIT may serve as the first of many such functionalities built on top of the Render Network ecosystem.

SIGGRAPH 2023 Preview

SIGGRAPH 2023 marks a significant milestone in the history of SIGGRAPH conferences, marking the 50th anniversary of the landmark computer graphics event.

The conference comes at an inflection point in the graphics and technology industry, with a new generation of artificial intelligence and quantum computing technologies poised to dramatically reshape our society — transforming everything from how media is produced to revolutionizing fields like medical research and education.

The conference will feature various cutting-edge topics and technologies that are shaping the present and future of our world, from Quantum computing and Generative AI to the future of Film, Real-time 3D, and Neural Reflectance Fields. Throughout the four day-event industry leaders like Dr. Darío Gil, Senior Vice President at IBM, and visionary figures like Kathryn Kleiman and Jensen Huang from NVIDIA will grace the conference with their much anticipated presentations.

The annual SIGGRAPH conference has always held a special place for the Render Network community, where new features and forward facing Network innovations have been previewed for the years ahead. As has been the case since its inception, the Render Network’s presence at SIGGRAPH has also served as a portend of intention towards becoming a bedrock in the future of graphics and entertainment. With the recent passing of RNP-004, which will expand the use case of the Render Network out tremendously, this portend is more real than ever, with technologies previewed at this year’s conference showcasing elements that may one day be powered by the Render Network.

About Siggraph:

SIGGRAPH 2023 | REGISTER TO CELEBRATE 50 YEARS (PROMO VIDEO)

• SIGGRAPH 2023 is the premier conference for computer graphics and interactive techniques worldwide.
• This year the conference celebrates 50 years of Siggraph Conferences
• Date: August 6–10
• Location: Los Angeles Convention Center + online

REGISTER HERE: https://s2023.siggraph.org/register/

Presentations

Star Trek Through the Ages: “The Roddenberry Archive”- Achieving Interoperability in the Metaverse

Organizers
Jules Urbach / Mark Peters

Time
Wednesday, 9 August 2023 3pm — 4:30pm PDT

Location
Room 513

Keynote Presentations:

SIGGRAPH 2023 Keynote Presentations are where industry experts discuss some of the most prominent topics of computer graphics’ past, present, and future.

• Darío Gil: “SIGGRAPH 2023 Keynote: What’s Next in Quantum Computing”
• Kathryn Kleiman: “SIGGRAPH 2023 Keynote: Computer Programming Pioneers Revealed”
• Hiroaki Kitano: “Pioneering the Future of Creation — How Technology Impacts Creation” (Sponsored by Sony)
• Natalya Tatarchuk, Allan Poore, and Joe Letteri: “Assisted Artistry Unleashed: Powering the Future of Film and Real-time 3D w/ Unity Wēta Tools” (Sponsored by Unity Technologies)
• Yachen Song: “Within Sight, Bridging Dimension: Generative AI from 2D to 3D to Push Boundaries for Imagination” (Sponsored by Vast)

For full Program Content — CLICK HERE

SIGGRAPH covered interest areas:

• Arts and Design
• Gaming & Interactive
• New Technologies
• Production & Animation
• Research & Education

Conference Supporters:
120+ Sponsors including the likes of NVIDIA, Apple, Unreal Engine, Meta, Netflix, Tencent Technology

Exhibition Hours:
Tuesday — August 8th — 10th

Details about Exhibition:
Experience the future coming to life at the SIGGRAPH 2023 Exhibition where you’ll see the latest hardware systems, software tools, and creative services in action. Explore innovation and technological advancement in computer graphics, digital art, animation, visual effects, new realities, artificial intelligence, research, and more.

Who are the Exhibitors?
From established leaders to emerging innovators

Interesting Events during SIGGRAPH:

Sunday, 6 August 2023:
9:30am — 11am PDT — SIGGRAPH for Beginners
Description: Are you lost or overwhelmed with so many amazing sessions with new categories and titles? Curious about the highlights of this landmark 50th anniversary year? This is the session for you. We will equip you with the necessary knowledge to navigate the rest of the SIGGRAPH conference with confidence and excitement and will share insider tips from seasoned SIGGRAPH veterans
Location: Room 501 AB
Organizers: Asiya Gizatulina — ACM SIGGRAPH

1:30pm — 5pm PDT — Emerging Technologies
Description: Emerging Technologies has established the foundation for innovations in display, capture, and interaction technologies. Discover the inventive and imaginative tech on the horizon for the next 50 years.

1:30pm — 5pm PDT — From Computer Graphics’ Past to the Future — West Building, Concourse Alcoves

2pm — 5:30pm PDT — Frontiers Workshop: Building Trust With Computer Graphics and AI: The Role of Tech, Art or Policy?
Description: Media, health, environmental technologies: all count on AI but face the challenge of trust as a key success factor. In this workshop, a multidisciplinary panel will stimulate this debate. Ben Larsen from the WEF will address the perspective of leaders towards generative AI. Mike Seymour, founder of fxguide, will look at the tension between fake and inducing trust. The criticality of human perception will be demonstrated by June Kim, SIGGRAPH Asia Chair, Nicolas Henchoz, Art Papers chair and Oliver Gingrich, artist, and policy-making by Brandie Noenecke, UC Berkeley. Panelists and attendees will sketch and discuss propositions to build the future.
Organizers: Nicolas Henchoz École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne EPFL+ECAL Lab
Location
Room 303 AB

Monday, 7 August 2023

Frontiers Workshop: Shaping the Role of Design in the Era of AI
Description: This session will bring together attendees who value the role of design disciplines in shaping the future of graphic/interactive technologies, aiming to foster a vibrant community for next generation designers. The ways in which designers create and implement future visions for the world are especially affected by advances in digital technologies, tools, and processes. How are design disciplines responding to technological innovations, including new interaction techniques, AI/ML, and ubiquitous biometrics? Members of the ACM SIGGRAPH Design Committee and invited speakers will lead discussions and activities to map out pressing areas of interest and concern, as well as new opportunities.
Location
Room 303 AB

Educator’s Day Transforming Industries and Empowering Minds: Substance 3D’s Impact in New Industries and Education, presented by Adobe
Description: Discover how Substance 3D is revolutionizing new industries and empowering education. Explore its transformative role in workflows, creative processes, and immersive experiences. Learn how this powerful software suite is shaping the future of design, visualization, and learning, driving innovation and unlocking limitless possibilities.
Location
Room 306 AB

Join us in the Rendering Revolution at:

Website: https://render.x.io
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rendernetwork
Knowledge Base: https://know.rendernetwork.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/rendernetwork
Telegram: https://t.me/rendernetwork
Render Network Foundation: https://renderfoundation.com/