Autodesk unveils new generative AI model Project Bernini
Autodesk has unveiled Project Bernini, an experimental generative AI model for generating 3D models from a range of inputs, including text prompts, 3D images, point clouds and voxels.
The technology, which is aimed at “architecture, product design and entertainment” is still experimental, and Autodesk hasn’t revealed how it will be integrated with its existing products.
New multi-modal AI model creates 3D models from text, images, point clouds or voxels
Of the AI technologies for generating 3D models that we’ve covered on CG Channel, Project Bernini is unusual in the variety of inputs that it accepts.
Rather than generating 3D meshes from text prompts, or inferring them from images or video, it works from text, images, voxels and point clouds.
The AI model, which builds on Make-A-Shape, earlier work from Autodesk Research’s AI Lab, was trained on “10 million publicly available shapes”, including CAD models and organic forms.
Initially best suited for generating simple hard surface objects?
The former are more in evidence in the video above, which shows Project Bernini generating a range of hard-surface objects, including a chair, spatula and water pitcher.
Autodesk describes itself as initially “focused on generating functional 3D structures because the articles built or manufactured from the outputs of these models must work in the real world”.
In its current state, the AI model seems better suited for initial shape exploration than creating final-quality assets, with the demo showing simple, relatively low-detail 3D forms.
According to Autodesk, it will become “increasingly useful … when trained on larger, higher-quality professional datasets”, citing buildings, car designs and game characters as examples.
Which Autodesk applications will Project Bernini be used in, and when?
Project Bernini is still “strictly experimental” and is not available for public use.
Autodesk hasn’t announced when it will be made available publicly, or which, if any, of its products and services it will be integrated with.
The one existing application shown in the video is 3ds Max, although that seems to be to edit a model exported from Project Bernini rather for the generative AI process itself.
Updated: Autodesk has confirmed that there is currently no direct integration between Project Bernini and any of its existing tools.
Read Autodesk’s blog post on Project Bernini
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