It kicked off with a cryptic post from BFL co-founder Robin Rombach on X (formerly Twitter):
a single image captioned “upgrade incoming.”
The output? A surreal cyberpunk scene of a festival with floating lanterns, neon-masked revelers, and intricate details that scream photorealism without the uncanny “AI sheen.”
No official word from BFL yet—they’re notorious for surprise drops—but this feels like the opening salvo. Community sleuths quickly dug deeper. Screenshots from the FLUX Playground reveal a new model selector dropdown proudly listing “FLUX.2 [pro]” alongside generated samples: think a hooded cat in urban grit, a woman’s portrait with ethereal lighting, and dynamic crowd scenes.
One standout leak?
A first-look animation demo shared by AI enthusiast Brent Lynch, showing a white bird-like creature slipping on a VR headset. The motion is buttery smooth—reflections ripple, feathers flutter—with minimal artifacts, suggesting built-in video capabilities that could rival tools like Runway or Pika. “It animates well!” Lynch quipped, though he admitted the extra beak was his prompt’s fault.
What’s Leaked: Features and Fixes
From the scraps circulating on X and Reddit, FLUX.2 promises to iron out FLUX.1’s pain points:
- Anatomy & Detail Overhauls: Say goodbye to “flux chin” deformities and plasticky skin. Early gens show hyper-real hands, fabrics, and expressions.
- Animation Leap: Native support for short clips, expanding beyond static images into BFL’s “pro” ecosystem.
- Efficiency Boost: Expected to run smoother on consumer hardware, with API integration for devs—though open weights? Community hopes are dim; it’s likely staying closed-source for commercial edge.
- Resolution Woes? Some previews clock in at lower res (around 512×512 base), sparking calls for an integrated upscaler. BFL’s silence leaves room for speculation.
The hype is real: Posts from AI news accounts like @AILeaksAndNews and @nearexplain confirm it’s “being prepared for release” on Playground and API, potentially as early as this week. With BFL’s $300M funding round fresh in October, this drop could cement their lead over OpenAI’s DALL-E and Midjourney.
Why It Matters (And What to Watch For)
FLUX.2 isn’t just an update—it’s BFL flexing open innovation while gatekeeping the best bits for pros. For creators, it means more accessible, high-fidelity tools; for the industry, fiercer competition. But will it deliver on the tease, or fizzle like past “leaks”? Keep tabs on @bfl_ml and the Playground for the real drop. Excited? Me too. What’s your dream FLUX.2 feature?
Stay tuned for more AI scoops!