🚀 Midjourney Office Hours Highlights: May 29th

The latest Midjourney Office Hours offered a clear-eyed look at ongoing development, upcoming releases, and the challenges the team is working to overcome. This week’s update was filled with insights about model improvements, feature rollouts, infrastructure upgrades, and the role of community feedback in shaping Midjourney’s roadmap.

🚀 Version 7 (V7) Updates:

The V7 model has received a notable speed increase—around 30% faster than before—making image generation more efficient for all users. Recent data from community image rankings is guiding a series of aesthetic improvements, signaling ongoing enhancements to the quality of generated art. However, the much-anticipated Omnireference improvements have not lived up to expectations so far. The team is weighing whether to pursue a simpler interim fix or to push a more robust overhaul to V8. Meanwhile, potential upscaling improvements are under review, with no clear timeline for release as of yet.

🎨 New Style Reference (S-ref) Development:

Big changes are nearly complete for the Style Reference (S-ref) system, promising a more user-friendly and functional experience. The new S-ref will be compatible with moodboards, which should help users manage visual themes more effectively. An early release is being considered, even if the full “S referendum” feature doesn’t make the initial cut.

🎬 Video Model Release:

A major new addition is on the horizon: Midjourney’s video model. Early tests with guides and moderators are scheduled for the coming week, followed by community-based video ranking in the two weeks after. The launch is tentatively set for June, pending the arrival of new server farms required to support the rollout. Videos will be offered in multiple resolutions with a tiered pricing structure. Relax mode for video is intentionally delayed to prevent overloading servers, and will initially be available only to higher-tier subscribers before expanding more broadly.

🖥️ Server and Capacity Challenges:

To meet surging demand—especially with the upcoming video features—Midjourney is preparing two waves of new server deployments over the next few weeks. The team is also looking at other sources for additional capacity, informed by strong community interest. Short-term restrictions on usage may be necessary if demand temporarily outpaces supply.

🔜 Version 8 (V8) and 7.1 Considerations:

While active planning for Version 8 is underway, there is no set release date. The possibility of a V7.1 update exists if certain V8 features prove feasible to backport. Internal discussions are ongoing regarding how to allocate resources between these two tracks, and the outcome may hinge on both technical evaluations and community preferences.

📢 Feature Voting and Community Input:

A new system for feature voting is set to launch soon, aiming to give the community a stronger voice in what gets prioritized. Recent updates have already drawn heavily from user-submitted image rankings, which are shaping the model’s evolving aesthetic.

🌐 Web and Social Features:

On the web front, personalized Explore pages and enhanced web-based storytelling tools are in the works. The experiment with non-Discord chat rooms on the Midjourney site hasn’t gained much traction, and may be phased out in favor of more popular or useful features.

Overall, the May 29 Office Hours revealed a team focused on concrete improvements, responsible scaling, and meaningful community engagement—even as they navigate the inevitable complexities of growth and innovation.

TL;DR

🚀 V7 Faster & Prettier: Speed up 30%, looks set to improve; Omnireference and upscale upgrades may be pushed to V8.

🎨 Style Reference Upgrade: Usability overhaul almost done, moodboard-friendly, early release likely (without full features).

🎬 Video Model Incoming: Testing starts next week, launch planned for June with tiered pricing and phased Relax mode.

🖥️ Server Crunch: New servers coming in waves, possible usage caps if demand spikes.

🔜 V8 on the Horizon: V8 in planning, small V7.1 update possible if features align; resource split undecided.

📢 Community Input Rising: Feature voting system soon, user rankings shaping model updates.

🌐 Web Features Evolving: Personalized Explore and storytelling in progress; website chat rooms may be cut.

Stay tuned for more updates as Midjourney continues to innovate and enhance its platform!

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