Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1527843
J U LY • A U G U S T • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 4 C G W 1 9 t his summer, the world's experts in computer graphics con- verged in Denver, Colorado, for the 51st annual SIGGRAPH (Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics and Interac- tive Techniques) conference. Hosted by ACM (Association for Computing Machinery), the largest education and scienti‡c computer society, the event showcased the next generation of advancements within the ever-evolving realm of computer graphics and the multitude of industries it powers and inˆuences. Returning to Colorado for the ‡rst time since its inception at the University of Colorado in Boulder half a century ago, the milestone conference united an international community of nearly 9,000 at- tendees from 76 countries around the world—researchers, scien- tists, business professionals, ‡lmmakers, artists, developers, stu- dents, and journalists—to share resources, catalyze innovation, and address challenges within the ‡eld. Held from July 28th to August 1st at the Colorado Convention Cen- ter, the conference featured exhibits, demonstrations, and program- ming highlighting the application of computer graphics in animation, visual e—ects, design, gaming, research, education, and beyond. Nvidia founder/CEO Jensen Huang and Meta founder/CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the stage for a rare joint public appearance. In their keynote presentation, the pair of tech luminaries discussed the transformative potential of open source arti‡cial intelligence. Other keynote presenters explored a multitude of new computer graphics applications and concepts ranging from the microscopic to the cos- mic. Conference chair Andrés Burbano of the Open University of Cata- lonia shared, "SIGGRAPH 2024 was a unique experience marked by rich content and vibrant interactions across the arts, science, and technology. The thought-provoking sessions and dynamic dialogues have truly fostered the idea of a desirable future of computer graphics and interactive techniques in the industry and the conference itself. Our commitment to international participation and engaging indus- try leaders enhances the discussions and cross-cultural exchange taking place at the conference, ultimately making our industry stron- ger and more diverse. We are proud to have brought together global perspectives, paving the way for the next 50 years of innovation in the ‡eld." Notable talking points from SIGGRAPH 2024 included: Ethical Generative AI As arti‡cial intelligence becomes increasingly ubiquitous across all facets of everyday life, the concept of ethics has begun to dominate the conversation. With AI models requiring massive amounts of con- tent for training, how will artists be credited and compensated for their contributions? Global creative platform Shutterstock addressed this concern head-on with the launch of the ‡rst ethical generative 3D application programming interface (API). Built on the multimodal Nvidia Edify generative AI architecture, this new API is trained exclusively on cu- rated Shutterstock content—including more than half a million eth- ically-sourced 3D models and over 650 million images with detailed metadata. Shutterstock is committed to implementing safeguards to ensure ethical compliance, legal integrity, and brand safety for all users of its generative AI technology. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang & Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg Shutterstock: Ethical generative AI