Decart, an innovative startup, has introduced an AI model that transforms live video right before your eyes. During a lively Zoom call, founder Dean Leitersdorf fed the system creative prompts like “wild west, cosmic, Roman Empire,” and soon found himself sporting a gold-tinged, underwater take on Julius Caesar. He grins at the unpredictability, saying, “I have no idea what’s going to happen,” as the model reshapes his appearance in real-time.
The company’s video-to-video model, Mirage, marks a notable step forward for live streaming. Unlike traditional tools, Mirage gives you creative control, letting you tweak your video on the fly. Decart isn’t stopping there—they’re planning a website and an app where you can edit everything from personal videos to YouTube clips, applying fun themes like anime or cyberpunk.
Gaming enthusiasts might especially appreciate this technology. For instance, a game called Oasis uses the AI to generate dynamic, Minecraft-like worlds on the spot. Of course, real-time manipulation is no small feat. It demands intense computing power, which Decart delivers by optimising their code for Nvidia chips. Currently, Mirage produces 20 frames per second at 768 × 432 resolution with just 100 milliseconds of latency—a setup well-suited for platforms like TikTok.
While keeping the visuals coherent and error-free poses challenges, Decart has engineered methods to maintain a natural look. The team is already working on higher resolutions and giving users more control over the outcome. Leitersdorf envisions Mirage becoming a mainstay on social media. However, he’s aware that the AI’s unpredictable quirks—even altering a user’s race—could raise eyebrows.
