Core Insights - A research team from the University of California, Los Angeles, has developed a new type of image generator that uses light beams instead of traditional computing hardware, significantly reducing energy consumption to one hundred-thousandth of standard AI tools, requiring only a few millijoules [1][2] Group 1: Technology Overview - Traditional digital diffusion models require hundreds to thousands of iterations to generate images, while the new system only needs initial encoding without additional computation [2] - The system utilizes a digital encoder trained on publicly available image datasets to create static encodings that can be converted into images [2] - The encoding is physically imprinted onto a laser beam using a Spatial Light Modulator (SLM), allowing for instant image presentation when the laser passes through a second SLM [2] Group 2: Performance and Applications - In tests, the new system generated simple images and Van Gogh-style paintings, achieving results comparable to traditional image generators [2] - The energy consumption for generating a Van Gogh-style image was approximately a few millijoules, while traditional diffusion models required hundreds to thousands of joules [2] - The low power characteristics of this system make it particularly suitable for applications in wearable devices, such as AI glasses [2]