Maxon faces online criticism over new generative AI tool
From billboards to digital ads, social, and packaging, Maxon Digital Twin creates consistent product visuals faster.
AI-generated backgrounds, auto-matched lighting/reflections/perspective, and 100% product accuracy.
SEE IT FIRST all week @ #CES2026 – AMD booth (West Hall, W223)— Maxon (@MaxonVFX) January 8, 2026
Cinema 4D and ZBrush developer Maxon is facing online criticism over Maxon Digital Twin, an upcoming tool with generative AI capabilities that it is demoing at this week’s CES trade show.
The tool, which turns a 3D model into a “marketing-ready asset with AI-generated backgrounds”, has attracted a lot of negative comments on social media, particularly on X.
Several question whether Maxon’s users want generative AI features in its software, and call for the company to “read the room”. Others simply call it “a terrible idea”.
Below, we summarize what is known about Maxon Digital Twin, and why it is attracting flak.
Updated 12 January: Maxon has responded to our request for more information about Maxon Digital Twin, so you can read the company’s own FAQs at the end of the story.
What is Maxon Digital Twin?
We don’t know yet, exactly: according to Maxon’s social media posts, it is being shown publicly for the first time at CES, the giant US tech show.
According to the Maxon Instagram account:
“Maxon Digital Twin turns your 3D product model into a marketing-ready asset, letting you pair it with your own backgrounds, including ones generated with AI.”
While that could mean a new feature within an existing Maxon application, like Cinema 4D or ZBrush, we suspect that it’s a new product.
Although the image Maxon has shared online is quite low-resolution, it seems to show an actual application called Maxon Digital Twin, with a simple, seemingly beginner-friendly interface.
You are decreasing a value of your software with this
— Jakovicz (@JakoviczKawecki) January 8, 2026
What happened after Maxon announced Maxon Digital Twin?
Maxon posted announcements about Maxon Digital Twin across its social media accounts, but not surprisingly, the strongest response was on X.
The feedback seems to have been worst on the ZBrush X account, with many users – and some news sites – assuming that the announcement referred to an upcoming feature in ZBrush.
The tweet has now been deleted, but according to Creative Bloq, every response to it was negative.
The announcements on other Maxon social media accounts remain online, including the ZBrush Instagram account, although the post there has been edited.
Hello Maxon! Your community of 3D artists does not want GenAI features. Just thought we would kindly let you know 🥰 https://t.co/G6Gv8hzZ0p
— Is this a 3D model? (@IsThisA3DModel) January 9, 2026
What feedback has Maxon Digital Twin received on social media?
Some of Maxon’s other posts are now beginning to attract comments similar to those on the deleted tweet, particularly the main Maxon X account.
At the time of writing, the responses – some from accounts traditionally critical of generative AI, but others from individual designers and 3D artists – are almost universally negative.
Some are simple call-outs of “AI slop”, but a repeated theme is for the need for Maxon to “read the room” when it comes to the opinion of its user base about generative AI.
One VFX TD posted that “you lost your mind and don’t even know your customers”.
So who are the customers for Maxon Digital Twin?
Maxon hasn’t said explicitly what kind of users Maxon Digital Twin is aimed at, but its social media posts suggest that it is being targeted at marketing rather than entertainment work.
The tweet on the Maxon X account notes that it is intended to create “consistent product visuals faster” for uses ranging “from billboards to digital ads, social, and packaging”.
A post on LinkedIn adds that “Digital Twin automatically handles the details that usually break AI composites: perspective, lighting, and reflections.”
“Result: fewer revisions, faster approvals, and consistent visuals.”
Is Maxon following Adobe’s lead with Maxon Digital Twin?
That description sounds reminiscent of features like Generative Background in Substance 3D Stager, Adobe’s 3D visualization software.
Of all the major CG software manufacturers, Adobe has pushed hardest for generative AI capabilities in its tools.
However, whereas a lot of Adobe’s revenue comes from business and marketing professionals, Maxon’s current product line consists solely of artist tools.
The users of those existing tools include a lot of freelancers and small studios, many of whom are concerned about generative AI cutting them out of the loop with their clients.
Maxon’s announcement of Digital Twin, with its focus on “ads, social, and packaging”, suggest that the firm may now be moving outside that traditional user base, to create new tools that follow Adobe’s playbook.
Updated 12 January 2026: We contacted Maxon for more information about Maxon Digital Twin.
The company confirmed that it is a new standalone tool aimed at marketers, and that the generative AI elements are optional, and will be provided via third-party AI models.
At the foot of this story, you can read the complete FAQs document that Maxon provided.
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Maxon’s FAQs on Maxon Digital Twin
What does Digital Twin app do?
The Maxon Digital Twin app enables users to create a digital representation of a physical object that can be used consistently across 3D environments, such as for marketing and commercial applications. To create a Digital Twin, users first need a cleared-for-use CAD model, which can then be refined and rendered to achieve a photorealistic appearance through detailed texturing, lighting, special effects, and other contextual detail.
Who is the main audience for Maxon Digital Twin?
Maxon sees marketing communicators in the CPG (consumer packaged goods) as the primary use case for its new product. DT allows marketers to maintain brand and product integrity across many different promotional formats and ad platforms, while creating a seamless production pipeline that can be integrated with a third-party AI agent or AI-enabled graphic application of choice.
Is Maxon developing its own AI-agent?
No. Maxon will work on integrating with AI agents and popular AI-enabled graphic design apps, benefitting its users with a seamless creative experience no matter the tool they choose to use.
Does Digital Twin work without AI?
Yes, it absolutely does. While Maxon will develop integrations with popular graphic design tools, including the ones that leverage AI, use of AI agents and AI-enabled tools remains at the discretion of the user.
Does Digital Twin change existing Maxon’s tools and product offering?
No, it does not. While Digital Twin leverages Maxon’s technology and integrates with other Maxon tools, it is meant as a standalone product.
Does Digital Twin learn from content created by AI agents or artists that use Maxon products?
No, Maxon only uses its own technology and library to match a digital twin created by the artist with its visual context, such as background. An artist can choose whether to create such background from scratch or to generate it/part of it, in an AI agent or AI-enabled graphic design tool of their choice.