With its WorldGen system, Meta is shifting the use of generative AI for 3D worlds from creating static imagery to fully interactive assets.

The main bottleneck in creating immersive spatial computing experiences – whether for consumer gaming, industrial digital twins, or employee training simulations – has long been the labour-intensive nature of 3D modelling. The production of an interactive environment typically requires teams of specialised artists working for weeks.

WorldGen, according to a new technical report from Meta’s Reality Labs, is capable of generating traversable and interactive 3D worlds from a single text prompt in approximately five minutes.

While the technology is currently research-grade, the WorldGen architecture addresses specific pain points that have prevented generative AI from being useful in professional workflows: functional interactivity, engine compatibility, and editorial control.

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