Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum (ETH), recently praised the innovative image compression method known as Token for Image Tokenizer (TiTok AI) for its ability to encode images large enough to be added to the blockchain.
Taking to his Warpcast social media platform, Buterin described TiTok AI as a new way to “encode a profile picture,” noting that if the method could compress an image to 320 bits, essentially a hash, it would make it possible to store images on the blockchain for every user.
Buterin’s interest in TiTok AI was sparked by a post from a researcher at the AI image generator platform Leonardo AI, who goes by the handle @Ethan_smith_20. The researcher explained how the method could help encode complex visuals into 32 tokens, allowing for the reinterpretation of high-frequency details within images.
This new approach to image tokenization could revolutionize the creation of profile pictures and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), making it easier for developers and creators to engage with blockchain technology.
TiTok AI, a collaborative effort between TikTok parent company ByteDance and the University of Munich, offers a one-dimensional tokenization framework that differs significantly from traditional two-dimensional methods. By compressing 256 by 256-pixel images into 32 distinct tokens, TiTok AI addresses previous issues with image tokenization methods like VQGAN, which were limited by 2D latent grids with fixed downsampling factors.
By utilizing AI technology, TiTok AI is able to effectively tokenize images into 1D latent sequences, providing a compact representation that eliminates region redundancies. This innovative approach not only improves image storage on the blockchain but also enhances processing speed significantly, boasting speeds up to 410 times faster than current technologies.
In addition to its computational efficiency, TiTok AI could streamline image storage on blockchain platforms and offer remarkable enhancements in processing speed, marking a significant advancement in the field of image tokenization.
For more information, check out the launch of crypto staking services in South Korea by OkayCoin.