#AI Diffusion Rule

[kamalkafir-blog]

In further high-level exchange amid tech tension, China and US say channels remain open

[ASIA] Chinese vice-foreign minister Ma Zhaoxu and his US counterpart Christopher Landau held a phone call on Thursday, according to Beijing’s foreign ministry. “They exchanged views on China-US relations and important issues of common concern. Both sides agreed to continue to maintain communication,” the ministry said in a readout released on Friday morning. 01:26 Trump’s Golden Dome shows US…

[saucyzoo]

Fem Iron Man acts a playboy at Anime Beach!

[seriously-mike]

The Spectacular Gender Bender

Or, how I Rule 63'd my own ass

Look, I know that the whole AI thing is ethically dubious, nowhere near as powerful or smart as its peddlers are trying to convince us, but my conversation about queer stuff with @jurian-is-cinnamon-roll yesterday gave me an idea to creatively use a Stable Diffusion plugin I mentioned lately, called IP Adapter. Its potential for shits, giggles and crime is fairly big for finicky and ornery open-source tech that runs sensibly on a five-year-old gaming PC (note, "sensibly" refers to its optimization, not effectiveness at what's it supposed to do), so after accidentally getting slightly more androgynous results than intended due to an omission of a keyword in the prompt, I got the idea to pull a 180 on the concept and attempt a process the results of which you see above.

The center photo is a selfie of me and @jurian-is-cinnamon-roll. The pictures to the sides of it are, respectively, me on the left and her on the right. Yes, you got that correct: the woman is me and the dude is Tochka, in a way, shape and sense. If you look at the AI-generated woman hard enough, you'll notice that at least her eyes and chin look similar to mine. The dude, on the other hand, has identical nose, eyebrows and hair color as Tochka, even if his face is slightly narrower. Normally, building a celebrity likeness to use in Stable Diffusion requires tens of photos in various contexts, at least twenty or so, and the data set needs to be baked (as in 3D graphics sense), requiring some serious computing power (I can't give you the exact amount of VRAM needed, it's either 12 or 24 GB, which was a staggering number two years ago and required renting computing time on server farms). IP Adapter, as advertised by its creators, the R&D lab of Chinese software giant Tencent, can get you results with just one picture, and not necessarily a large one.

Of course, Tencent is exaggerating here. I found out that while one picture should get you started, you should prepare at least four, from different angles and, preferably, different conditions. This has to do with the entire mathemagics the algorithm runs on - the more varied your sample, the better it goes along with the checkpoint data model. IP Adapter also works better with Stable Diffusion 1.5 than with the newer SDXL algorithm for some arcane reasons that people can't figure out.

As a bonus, here's six more attempts at genderswapping myself, all based on local female Twitch streamers. You can see that it's kinda inconsistent, for example leaving a patch of my natural dark hair despite the prompt asking otherwise due to the algorithm picking up my bangs as a Fixed Point in Time Space. My Resting Bitch Face is also a Fixed Point in Space, but that's less of a problem.

[kienzle]

#Li Ying has something to do with AI diffusion rules，The AI diffusion rules drawn up by the Biden administration may be a means designated by Trump to get respite, which is really clever

[stable-confusion]

2 Dragons, 1 Caldera

eye-contact dragon vomiting-fire

Wait, no... this is not what I intended!

...

Why is there so much dragon porn?

[mercurymusing]

So the newest AI toy to get the attention of the Ars types is a Stable Diffusion tool called ControlNet that lets you (among other things) generate images that map to patterns. Some samples to give you an idea of the process, courtesy Ars and reddit user ugleh:

And for the punchline, "a completely innocuous town" generated by a reddit user with the charming name of diarrheahegao:

( Ars article linking to sources )

[pillowfort-social]

Generative AI Policy (February 9, 2024)

As of February 9, 2024, we are updating our Terms of Service to prohibit the following content:

Images created through the use of generative AI programs such as Stable Diffusion, Midjourney, and Dall-E.

This post explains what that means for you. We know it’s impossible to remove all images created by Generative AI on Pillowfort. The goal of this new policy, however, is to send a clear message that we are against the normalization of commercializing and distributing images created by Generative AI. Pillowfort stands in full support of all creatives who make Pillowfort their home. Disclaimer: The following policy was shaped in collaboration with Pillowfort Staff and international university researchers. We are aware that Artificial Intelligence is a rapidly evolving environment. This policy may require revisions in the future to adapt to the changing landscape of Generative AI. 

-

Why is Generative AI Banned on Pillowfort?

Our Terms of Service already prohibits copyright violations, which includes reposting other people’s artwork to Pillowfort without the artist’s permission; and because of how Generative AI draws on a database of images and text that were taken without consent from artists or writers, all Generative AI content can be considered in violation of this rule. We also had an overwhelming response from our user base urging us to take action on prohibiting Generative AI on our platform.  

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How does Pillowfort define Generative AI?

As of February 9, 2024 we define Generative AI as online tools for producing material based on large data collection that is often gathered without consent or notification from the original creators.

Generative AI tools do not require skill on behalf of the user and effectively replace them in the creative process (ie - little direction or decision making taken directly from the user). Tools that assist creativity don't replace the user. This means the user can still improve their skills and refine over time. 

For example: If you ask a Generative AI tool to add a lighthouse to an image, the image of a lighthouse appears in a completed state. Whereas if you used an assistive drawing tool to add a lighthouse to an image, the user decides the tools used to contribute to the creation process and how to apply them. 

Examples of Tools Not Allowed on Pillowfort: Adobe Firefly* Dall-E GPT-4 Jasper Chat Lensa Midjourney Stable Diffusion Synthesia

Example of Tools Still Allowed on Pillowfort: 

AI Assistant Tools (ie: Google Translate, Grammarly) VTuber Tools (ie: Live3D, Restream, VRChat) Digital Audio Editors (ie: Audacity, Garage Band) Poser & Reference Tools (ie: Poser, Blender) Graphic & Image Editors (ie: Canva, Adobe Photoshop*, Procreate, Medibang, automatic filters from phone cameras)

*While Adobe software such as Adobe Photoshop is not considered Generative AI, Adobe Firefly is fully integrated in various Adobe software and falls under our definition of Generative AI. The use of Adobe Photoshop is allowed on Pillowfort. The creation of an image in Adobe Photoshop using Adobe Firefly would be prohibited on Pillowfort. 

-

Can I use ethical generators? 

Due to the evolving nature of Generative AI, ethical generators are not an exception.

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Can I still talk about AI? 

Yes! Posts, Comments, and User Communities discussing AI are still allowed on Pillowfort.

-

Can I link to or embed websites, articles, or social media posts containing Generative AI? 

Yes. We do ask that you properly tag your post as “AI” and “Artificial Intelligence.”

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Can I advertise the sale of digital or virtual goods containing Generative AI?

No. Offsite Advertising of the sale of goods (digital and physical) containing Generative AI on Pillowfort is prohibited.

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How can I tell if a software I use contains Generative AI?

A general rule of thumb as a first step is you can try testing the software by turning off internet access and seeing if the tool still works. If the software says it needs to be online there’s a chance it’s using Generative AI and needs to be explored further. 

You are also always welcome to contact us at moderation@pillowfort.social if you’re still unsure.

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How will this policy be enforced/detected?

Our Team has decided we are NOT using AI-based automated detection tools due to how often they provide false positives and other issues. We are applying a suite of methods sourced from international universities responding to moderating material potentially sourced from Generative AI instead.

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How do I report content containing Generative AI Material?

If you are concerned about post(s) featuring Generative AI material, please flag the post for our Site Moderation Team to conduct a thorough investigation. As a reminder, Pillowfort’s existing policy regarding callout posts applies here and harassment / brigading / etc will not be tolerated. 

Any questions or clarifications regarding our Generative AI Policy can be sent to moderation@pillowfort.social.

[kamalkafir-blog]

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang calls US ban on H20 AI chip ‘deeply painful’

[ASIA] Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said Washington’s plan to stymie China’s artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities by restricting access to its H20 graphics processing units (GPUs) was “deeply uninformed”, as the US semiconductor giant continues to navigate through a deepening tech rivalry between the world’s two largest economies. In an interview with tech site Stratechery following his keynote…

[blueishspace]

Mostly canon Watcher Grian powerset.

Access to commands:

Teleportation (access to /tp)

Time manipulation (with /time and random tick speed)

Weather manipulation (with /weather)

Matter and energy creation (With /place and /structure and /fill)

Life creation (with /summon).

Blessings and curses (with /effect)

Locate anything (with /locate)

Changing rules of reality (with /gamerule)

Banning (with /ban)

Nature manipulation (with a mix of /gamerule and biome set)

Enchanting (with /enchant)

/Kill

Summoning fire balls and lightning (/summon)

Access to creative.

Canon watcher specific abilities:

Nigh-omniscience.

Telepathy (as shown multiple time)

Mind control. (Limited Life)

Control over celestial objects (like when they crashed a meteor into evo)

Force updates (Evo).

Manipulating player stats.

Resurrection.

Bonding player souls creating soulmate couples.

Emotion draining.

Inducing Amnesia/Apathy (depending on the interpretation of the life series)

Eye summoning (not canon but I would be disappointed if watchers weren't able to summon eyes)

Ability to speak in galactic.

Limiting players life in time.

Server/World creation and destruction.

Light modding.

Canon Grian abilities, some might be watcher related we have no way to know:

Avian abilities (not canon but basically canon):

Flight.

Higher speed.

Wing attack.

Super sense.

Pre-Hermitcraft :

Demon summoning.

Creation of living AI.

Building skill.

Demise s6:

Manipulation of player deaths.

Manipulation of player data and appearance.

Sherlock Grian s6:

Super intuition.

Infinity Gauntlet s7:

Portal creation, telekinesis, matter manipulation. (Space stone)

Energy blast able to destroy a planet. (Power stone)

Reality manipulation, transmutation, illusion creation. (Reality stone)

Time manipulation, creation of timeloops. (Time stone).

Mind manipulation, energy manipulatiom. (Mind stone)

Soul control, personality manipulation, soul absorption, spirit summoning. (Soul stone)

Black hole summoning. (Space + Power stone)

Implied super resistance to the power of the gauntlet.

Hippie s6:

Ground manipulation.

Plant creation.

Mother Spore s7:

Spore diffusion.

Mycelium and mushroom manipulation and spreading.

Boatem s8:

Invisibility. (From that time he was invisible and pranked Mumbo)

Entity s9:

Giving life to inanimate objects.

Creation of interdemensional rifts.

Immortality.

Manipulation of player height.

[saucyzoo]

Fem Captain America could do this all day at Anime Beach!

[veillover19]

Normally the rules were that captured enemy soldiers are imprisoned until exchanged. However this one was caught spying while wearing civilian clothing. As such it was punished by being turned into a FatimaMaid and made to serve in the military command centre. Which meant they saw all the intelligence they had been sent to find...Much good it did them...

(AI art made with Stable Diffusion)

[bluebnny]

☙ MASTERLIST ❧

Please read my Rules before requesting <3

Stuff in my drafts: (in case you want to request something specific, as i am not actively working on everything in my drafts)

they take an interest in your hobby pt 2 (Law, Ace, Kid) - scenario

threesome with law and ace where they randomly kiss in the heat of the moment

law x piratecaptain!reader angst

"whatever you say, beautiful." to diffuse an argument (Law, Ace, Kid) - scenario

✿ = fluff ♥︎ = smut/suggestive ★ = angst ❦ = readers' faves ❦ = my faves (aka most well-written imo)

Trafalgar D. Water Law

Relationship headcanons - wc: 1.821 - ✿★ Make it up to you - wc: 3.094 - ★✿ Out of control - wc: 8.584 ➺ Pt 1 ♥︎ - Pt 2 ♥︎ - Pt 3 ♥︎ Toxic law headcanons - wc: 646 - ★ What are we? - wc: 2.892 - ★ - ❦ Yellow hoodie - wc: 4.664 - ❦ ➺ Pt 1 ♥︎ - Pt 2 ✿ So pretty when you break - wc: 4.209 - ★♥︎ - ❦ ︎

Portgas D. Ace

NSFW headcanons - wc: 1.382 - ✿♥︎ First time sleeping with Ace - wc: 5.592 - ✿♥︎ - ❦

Monkey D. Luffy

Friends with benefits - wc: 1.020 - ♥︎ Fill you up - wc: 1.164 - ♥︎ - ❦ Not letting you go - wc: 1.369 - ♥︎ - ❦ Lazy afternoon - wc: 1.610 - ✿♥︎

Multiple characters

Scenario - they take an interest in your hobby ↳ (law, ace, kid) - wc: 2.313 - ✿ 3-way “alliance” ↳ (law x fem!reader x luffy) - wc: 1.355 - ♥︎

Total word count: 41.715

Dividers are made by me. Do not repost any of my fics or use them in AI training! Comments, reblogs, and likes are always appreciated <3

[mitigatedchaos]

"Sell Signal"

So there's now a tool to generate the 'painting process' for AI-generated images.

As some of you probably know, I've used AI image generation myself. I've downloaded Stable Diffusion and some associated tools and played around with them extensively in order to determine their limits - and they very much do have their limits.

I've posted probably a dozen or so AI-generated images by now.

When I was still getting a sense of the limits, I used Stable Diffusion a lot. (I also experimented with Midjourney.) Now that I know what the limits are, I don't use it all that often.

I feel that it doesn't adequately reflect my artistic voice.

I'm not ashamed of what I've used AI image generation for. You probably already figured this out, but the Monday Cat was AI-generated, and the text was added manually in a program similar to Photoshop. I feel no need to misrepresent this to you, because I'm not trying to misrepresent my artistic talent.

This new tool to retroactively generate painting process is the single most-damning critique of AI art that I have ever seen.

First, we know that there are art buyers and viewers in many mediums, such as oil painting, statues, films, and video games. Each of these mediums has its advantages and its disadvantages. If AI art is worthwhile, then viewers or buyers will seek it out for its merits.

Trying to steal the production process that traditional painters use to show that their work isn't computer-generated shows a total lack of faith in AI art as a medium.

Second, for the individual artist, it suggests that they don't know the strengths of their own medium! That's not a good sign for an artist, especially one whose strength is supposed to be in that medium.

Third, again for the individual artist, it suggests that they have nothing to say. This seems to be a recurring problem for AI art boosters on Twitter. Even people using AI to do fanart seem to be better positioned on this last one.

If only Twitter AI art boosters were producing AI art, we could almost rule it out as a dead medium - which is a remarkably quick turnaround.

[moonlit-trolls]

Me? Making my first cohesive adopt post? Morelikely than you think!

I basically went on a designfest with those! they don't follow any specific theme past being trolls

Rules:

Don't re-sell for more than you bought, unless you added art onto the sale.

You can't use this design on AI or Stable Diffusion or anything related to AI image generation

You may alter the design to fit your needs but keep it recognizable and Credit me.

You can't alter the original artwork

Prices Under the cut

Open - $20

Open - $20

Sold - $35

Open - $25

Open - $25

Open - $20

Sold - $30

Open - $30

Open - $20

Open - $30

Open - $30

Open - $25

Sold - $30

Sold - $20

Open - $20

Open - $20

Sold - $20

First come First serve, You can claim by DMing me on tumblr (right here!) or on discord (brightbluemoona).

Payments can be done via paypal or Ko-fi

Buying one of these adopts Grants you 50% off for 3 commissions you do With them, From me

[mariacallous]

The Trump administration has scrapped its predecessor’s sweeping export controls for advanced artificial intelligence chips, known as the AI diffusion rule.

“To win the AI race, the Biden AI diffusion rule must go,” posted David Sacks, U.S. President Donald Trump’s top AI advisor, on May 8. Sacks continued his criticism at the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum a few days later, arguing that the rule “restricted the diffusion or proliferation of American technology all over the world.”

As the administration decides what comes next, it should raise its sights from merely proposing a “simpler” rule to manage the diffusion of AI chips. Instead, it should seize the opportunity to offer an ambitious vision to promote the broader diffusion of U.S. technology.

After all, the world not only wants the United States’ AI chips, but also its AI applications, data centers, cloud services, satellites, and advanced technology offerings generally. But even as Beijing extends its digital offerings in key emerging markets, U.S. foreign policy has failed to adapt for a global technology competition with era-defining stakes. Whether you agree with the Trump administration or not, its disruption is an opportunity to forge a new model of technology statecraft to help the United States win the race to shape strategic digital infrastructure and technology diffusion across the globe.

To start, Washington must finally learn from its failure in the transition to 4G and 5G telecommunications networks, where Beijing’s state-backed model—and the absence of a compelling U.S.-led alternative—enabled Huawei and ZTE to all but corner emerging markets. Huawei now operates in more than 170 countries worldwide and is the top global provider of telecommunications equipment. But if there is broad consensus among U.S. policymakers that Beijing won that global technology transition, there is little agreement about how to win the next.

They have little time to waste. From Brasília to New Delhi, technology has moved to the center of government ambitions to drive growth, improve governance, and modernize security. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto views the digital sector as essential to diversifying the country’s commodity-reliant economy. Kenyan President William Ruto hopes to boost the country’s “Silicon Savannah” by accelerating cloud migration. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has made AI central to his “Vision 2030” framework for the kingdom’s modernization. The result is surging global demand not only for AI data centers, but also for cutting-edge digital infrastructure, services, and skilling more broadly.

In the coming years, foreign capitals and corporate boards will make potentially generational decisions about whether to meet this demand by partnering with the United States and its allies or China. These short-term decisions could have generational consequences. Projects to lay a transcontinental submarine cable or build large-scale data centers, for instance, are mapped in decades.

Even virtual cloud and AI services can have long-term stickiness. Imagine the pain of migrating an entire ministry’s data to a new cloud provider, or switching from an AI model that has been fine-tuned with a company’s sensitive data over time. Consider Beijing’s decade-plus struggle to transition its government computers from Windows. First movers reap powerful advantages.

If the stakes are great in the current round of global technology diffusion, so is the United States’ hand. Unlike the transition to 4G and 5G networks, where Western competitors such as Ericsson and Nokia struggled to match Huawei’s and ZTE’s subsidized offerings in emerging markets, the United States enters this technology transition with formidable advantages.

The United States occupies a commanding position in AI, with leadership or leverage over every part of the stack, ranging from chip design, tooling, and fabrication to model training and testing. U.S. companies hold at least a 70 percent share of the global cloud market. In space, Starlink has launched more satellites than all its competitors combined since 2020. Below the waves, three of the top four companies deploying subsea fiberoptic cables—the internet’s backbone—are from the United States or its close allies: SubCom (U.S.), Alcatel (France), and NEC (Japan). China controls the fourth, HMN Technologies (formerly Huawei Marine), which has deployed a mere 7 percent of the world’s submarine cables.

Despite powerful advantages, U.S. success is far from assured. The lesson of the 4G and 5G race is not to mirror China’s state-driven approach or to leave the private sector to fend for itself against Chinese competitors with powerful state backing. Nor is it to rely solely on export controls and other restrictive measures, however necessary those may be. The answer is to make U.S. foreign policy fit the global technology competition.

Washington can start with reforms in three broad areas.

First, unleash the United States’ strategic investment tools. One of Washington’s most promising but underused tools is the International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). Created during the first Trump administration, the DFC makes market-driven investments to advance both humanitarian and national security goals, and it has several tools to attract private capital from equity investments to political risk insurance.

As Congress considers DFC reauthorization—its current mandate expires in September—it should raise the existing cap on its lending authority from $60 billion to at least $100 billion and make strategic technologies and digital infrastructure an explicit priority. Congress should also loosen restrictions that can block DFC from supporting digital infrastructure projects that incidentally benefit high-income countries, which has kept it from financing critical subsea cables in the Indo-Pacific that invariably have landing points in Singapore, a major interconnection hub for the region.

The Export-Import Bank (EXIM) also punches below its weight. EXIM helps level the playing firm for U.S. firms competing abroad with a $135 billion lending limit and tools such as direct loans, loan guarantees, and insurance to de-risk purchases of U.S. exports. The United States once led the world in export financing, but China now dominates. In 2022, Chinese export credit agencies provided $11 billion in export support, compared to just $2.7 billion from EXIM.

Under the first Trump administration, EXIM created a new China and Transformational Exports Program (CTEP) to prioritize investments that counter Beijing’s subsidies and support advanced technologies such as AI and semiconductors. EXIM now aims to reserve at least 20 percent of its support for the program.

Despite progress, EXIM remains plagued with issues. To receive CTEP support, at least 51 percent of the exported content must be American-made—far higher than requirements in competitor agencies. Another requirement that EXIM-supported goods travel on U.S.-flagged vessels also hinders participation. Although well-intentioned, EXIM’s mandate to create jobs can deprioritize the export of low-labor digital exports such as AI and cloud services. Compounding the problem, EXIM is also required to limit defaults across its total lending portfolio to less than 2 percent, fueling risk-aversion.

Washington should reform EXIM for the global technology competition by at least doubling the 20 percent allocation for CTEP, relaxing shipping rules, and counting some allied components toward its content requirement. Lawmakers could also loosen the mandate to support U.S. job creation for digital services and double EXIM’s default cap to encourage more risk-taking.

Second, Washington should turbocharge its commercial diplomacy for technology. Between 2016 and 2020, an average of just 900 U.S. personnel from the State and Commerce departments were deployed abroad for commercial diplomacy, and just a fraction focused on technology. Since 2022, the State Department has taken important steps by establishing a new Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, a special envoy for critical and emerging technologies, and a course on cyberspace and digital policy tradecraft.

Despite this progress, few U.S. diplomats—and even fewer ambassadors—have deep technology expertise, which means that front-line opportunities to secure key technology bids and shape emerging AI or data policies can go unnoticed or suffer from inadequate staff or substance to engage effectively.

As the administration reforms the State Department, it should reinforce the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, which has elevated and streamlined technology diplomacy across the government; expand technology training for foreign service officers; and, more ambitiously, launch a dedicated career track within the diplomatic corps for foreign technology officers.

Two smaller and often overlooked arms of the country’s technology diplomacy are the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). The Commercial Service is a roughly 2,200-person global network of trade specialists that helps U.S. businesses identify and navigate foreign markets. But just 225 of its staff deploy abroad across 80 countries, which means that they constantly struggle to meet demand from U.S. technology companies and foreign partners. The USTDA helps identify and mature commercial opportunities abroad to boost U.S. exports. Digital infrastructure is one of the agency’s four priority sectors, but surging interest has far outpaced current resources.

The Trump administration can turbocharge U.S. commercial diplomacy by consolidating USTDA and the Commercial Service, elevating technology and digital infrastructure as a priority, and allocating more resources and personnel.

Finally, the United States should embrace a newly ambitious vision for technology partnerships. Too often, U.S. and allied firms lose one-off bids to subsidized, politically backed Chinese competitors, even if the firms might prefer to align with the high-tech U.S. ecosystem. Washington should explore how to make such an offer without simply imitating Beijing’s state-led model.

For example, Washington could create opportunities for foreign governments to request strategic technology partnerships that match their specific needs—for example, to accelerate AI adoption in government, expand data center capacity, or improve rural connectivity with low earth orbit satellites.

Washington could lay out clear, broadly consistent criteria as a condition for these partnerships—such as robust IP and cybersecurity protections, divestment from China-linked digital infrastructure, purchase commitments for U.S. goods and services, and even investment in the United States. The Trump administration has begun to model such an approach in its recent deals with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, but it could go even further.

If countries meet these conditions, Washington should commit not only to loosening export controls on advanced AI chips, but also to fast-tracking support from the DFC, EXIM, and USTDA; expanding technology trade missions, talent exchange programs, and research collaboration; and facilitating connections with U.S. technology firms. The United States holds the strongest hand in advanced technology and should drive a hard bargain, but it should also be generous when countries agree.

Washington can also do more to align with technology-leading allies on joint investments in strategic emerging markets. For example, Washington could better coordinate with Japan’s Overseas Development Assistance program to boost Open RAN networks across the Indo-Pacific, tap the European Union’s Global Gateway to connect subsea cables to Africa, and support India’s Digital Public Infrastructure to counter China’s “smart city” offerings.

Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds may raise tricky strategic questions as longer-term partners, but there are other, less controversial players that Washington has yet to fully explore—such as Norway, which has both attractive conditions for AI data centers and the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund. Washington and its allies may struggle to match Beijing’s subsidies on their own, but they can easily do so together.

As the world rushes into an accelerating competition to deploy strategic technologies and digital infrastructure across the globe, the United States has almost everything it needs to prevail—world-leading companies and products, an unrivaled network of technology-leading allies, and an administration eager for reform. What Washington lacks, however, is a vision to harness these strengths in a new model of technology statecraft to help the United States win.

[ottopilot-wrote-this]

Coven: that's a wrap

I finished the Halloween story at the witching hour on the dot, and frankly, I think that fucking rules.

This is the longest, most ambituous story I've written since maybe the fifth grade. And if I pull it off, it's just the first domino in a larger project I've been brewing for over a year now.

I want to give a quick couple of shout-outs:

shout out to @subliminalbo, who I've read for many years but have somehow become friends with seemingly by chance. Last year, serendipitiously, he posted about his writing process and I must have took that shit to heart, because I proceeded to just pour out words for hours about an idea I had just been kicking around in my head, the story alluded to above. Of course, tragedy stuck in the form of a deactivation, and the first two chapters of Coven were lost (though, I promise, the story is much better now for it).

shout out to Xenos, whose fantastic Stable Diffusion models I am greatly indebted to. Again, fate would have it he messed up and posted an absolute nightmare fuel checkpoint on accident, but that's what caught my eye in the first place. It turns out what we have in common is we are both hypno/MC veterans (he wrote on EMCSA) with designs on using generative AI for bigger mixed-media products (his vision is in gaming). He also has a Discord where I've spent a lot of my time in Tumblr Exile meeting some other cool people.

shout out to @foreverlostinspirals for reading and reblogging this story. I jokingly said she is like Sigourney Weaver when she was the Ghostbusters' only client. She has been very sweet and supportive when I resort to self-deprecating comments about my writing.

I have 8% battery, so I'll thank my wife, not just for her love but her patience. I know she rolls her eyes when I am working on this when I need to be doing other things, but she does so with love and support to let me do my own thing sometimes. Even though it is highly unlikely she'd read this, I love you.

Probably a short hiatus from stories while I take a breather and organize thoughts, and I have a couple fun things planned, but you can find me on @ottopilotreturns, because I am an internet addict with no boundaries! TTFN.