tldraw.computer - Steve Ruiz, tldraw

Introduction to tldraw and Its Features 00:03

  • Steve Ruiz introduces himself and the company tldraw, which started as a digital ink library and evolved into a whiteboard application.
  • tldraw.com is a free, web-based whiteboard similar to Excalidraw, supporting diagrams, slides, and embedded tools like code editors and Figma.
  • The SDK is available at tldraw.dev for developers who want to build on the platform.
  • The whiteboard is built entirely with React and supports embedding interactive content and seamless integration with external tools.
  • Emphasis on meticulous design details (e.g., perfect arrow alignment, corner consistency) to enhance user experience.

AI Experiments and Innovations 03:11

  • tldraw has incorporated multiple AI-powered features using their canvas as a base for experimentation.

Make Real: Turning Wireframes into Real Apps 03:36

  • The "Make Real" feature uses models like GPT-4 with vision to transform user sketches and wireframes into actual prototypes and applications.
  • Users can send screenshots to models with instructions to produce functional components.
  • Users can annotate defects directly on the canvas and prompt the model to fix bugs, making the iteration process easy and accessible to non-programmers.
  • This feature empowered people without coding skills to create software, launching at the end of 2023.

Draw Fast: Real-Time AI Image Generation 06:43

  • "Draw Fast" leverages latent consistency models for rapid image generation, updating images in near real time based on user drawings.
  • Allows users to manipulate and interact with AI-generated images directly within the canvas, though performance may vary.

tldraw Computer: Multimodal Graph-Based AI Composition 08:07

  • Demonstrates "tldraw computer", where users build graphs of modular components that accept different inputs (text, drawings, instructions) and produce outputs (images, speech, text).
  • Components execute scripts, chain outputs between blocks, and generate multimedia content automatically.
  • Collaboration with Google: Used Gemini 1.5 and Gemini Flash for multimodal, fast, and interactive demos.
  • Showcases AI composability—combining different blocks for tasks like creating commercials based on input sketches and text.

Language Models as Dynamic Processors 11:27

  • The system leverages large language models to process nonlinear and multimodal tasks, such as combining numerical and non-numerical inputs intelligently.
  • Models can make creative inferences (e.g., interpreting "octopus" as "eight" when summing numbers), showing reasoning capabilities beyond strict coding.
  • Demonstrates feedback loops and automatic, iterative task pipelines, reminiscent of game-like automation (e.g., playing Factorio with loops and cycles).

Creative and Analytical Use Cases 13:43

  • Users have built multi-stage prompting chains for tasks like sentiment analysis and asynchronous decision-making.
  • Conceptualizes tldraw computer as a way to design "computers" that align with intuitive, pre-technical expectations (giving instructions, connecting processes visually).

Integrating AI Agents and Creative Collaboration 15:46

  • "Teach" demonstrates AI as a virtual collaborator—users can instruct the model (e.g., "draw a cat") and the model returns structured text that maps to editable canvas shapes.
  • The system can respond to complex or imaginative prompts, integrating closely with the editable canvas for creative tasks.
  • Performance includes fun and playful outputs, illustrating the balance between innovation and lighthearted experimentation.

tldraw Ecosystem and Community Applications 17:44

  • Open SDK and hackable canvas encourage developers to create diverse and advanced applications, from simulations to collaborative tools.
  • Notable third-party uses include Grant Cott's liquid simulation and integration by companies like Observable.
  • Steve encourages the audience to experiment and build innovative projects using tldraw's technology, affirming that the ecosystem is still in its early days with substantial potential ahead.