World Labs, a groundbreaking startup in the field of artificial intelligence, officially launched today with an impressive $230 million in funding. The company, valued at over $1 billion, is spearheaded by Fei-Fei Li, a renowned figure in AI research often referred to as the “Godmother of AI.” Li, alongside Co-FoundersJustin Johnson, Christoph Lassner, and Ben Mildenhall, aims to revolutionise AI with a focus on spatial intelligence.
Traditional generative AI models operate within the constraints of 2D representations, such as text and images. However, World Labs is set to transcend these limitations by developing Large World Models (LWMs). According to the World Labs blog post, “To advance beyond the capabilities of today’s models, we need spatially intelligent AI that can model the world and reason about objects, places, and interactions in 3D space and time.” This innovation will enable AI to interact with and generate 3D environments, enhancing the scope of creativity and functionality for users across various domains.
Congrats @drfeifei and team! Exciting to see the new chapter. Fei-Fei’s view on embodied AI has significantly influenced my course of PhD and taste for research. Spatial intelligence is the next frontier for computer vision and embodied agents! https://t.co/Pi9yVZQMmI
Fei-Fei Li, a prominent AI researcher and former Google Cloud AI chief, drives World Labs. Li’s previous work on ImageNet laid the foundation for modern computer vision technologies. In her statement, she emphasised the significance of spatial intelligence: “The images and videos that you have seen so far coming out of generative AI models do not give you enough of the whole sense of how a 3D world is built.” Li’s vision extends beyond mere 3D rendering; she aims to address fundamental AI challenges related to world understanding and reasoning.
What is a really really hard problem to work on in #AI? My own answer is Spatial Intelligence – a technology that could empower and enable countless possible use cases in creation, design, learning, AR/VR, robotics, and beyond. It’s a real honor that my cofounders @jcjohnss… https://t.co/Krax7TQryB
World Labs plans to harness its spatial intelligence technology to create and manipulate 3D worlds, which could significantly impact fields like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and robotics. The company’s initial focus will be on generating virtual spaces with realistic physics and semantics, paving the way for new creative possibilities. As noted in the blog post, “We hope this will unlock new capabilities for creative users and professionals such as artists, designers, developers, and engineers.”
Funding and Investor Support
The initial funding round for World Labs was led by major venture capital firms, including Andreessen Horowitz, New Enterprise Associates, and Radical Ventures. Additional investments came from prominent figures and firms, such as Marc Benioff, Ashton Kutcher, and Nvidia’s NVentures. This substantial financial backing highlights the confidence investors have in World Labs’ potential to reshape the AI landscape.
🚀 Congratulations, @theworldlabs! We're thrilled to partner with @drfeifei, @jcjohnss, @chlassner, and @BenMildenhall as they propel their spatial intelligence AI company building Large World Models (LWMs) to perceive, generate, and interact with the 3D world.
World Labs represents a significant leap forward in the field of artificial intelligence. By bridging the gap between 2D and 3D understanding, the company is poised to redefine how AI interacts with the physical world. With its substantial funding and visionary leadership, World Labs is well-positioned to lead the next wave of AI innovation.
