The world of 3D model creation is extremely capital-intensive, and India barely has any company building this. As indie game development gains prominence, there is a dire need for an Indian company to enter this space.
Recognising this void, Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First Program has decided to support 3DAiLY, a 3D model creation company that makes ultra-realistic production-ready assets using generative AI. The company is also one of the first to make these models accessible on its community platform for AAA and indie games alike.
Speaking with AIM, the CEO and founder, Harsha P Deka, shared his journey, which began in 2010 with a personal loss that fueled his drive to innovate. While studying computer science in Canada, Deka received the devastating news of his best friend’s death.
“I wanted to create a 3D model of my friend to give to his family as a memento,” Deka recalled.
However, he soon discovered the limitations of the technology at the time. Despite reaching out to multiple gaming and animation studios, none could produce a 3D model from a photograph.
The Birth of 3DAiLY
Undeterred, Deka delved into the intricacies of 3D modelling, understanding the immense time and effort required to create high-quality models. By 2014, he had founded an animation studio, encountering firsthand the industry’s challenges.
“Creating a game, Belegon, took us a year and made us realise the massive funding needed for such ambitious projects,” Deka explained. His experiences underscore the complexities of 3D modelling, particularly for animation and gaming.
A pivotal moment came in 2015 when Deka encountered a 3D scanning setup in a US mall, which produced 3D-printed miniatures from in-person scans. “I asked if they could do it from a photograph, and they said it wasn’t feasible,” Deka said.
This gap in the market inspired him to create 3DAiLY, a company that could generate 3D models from photos. By leveraging AI, Deka set out to make high-quality 3D modelling accessible and efficient.
3DAiLY has since evolved into a leader in the 3D modelling industry, creating a comprehensive library of human models and developing proprietary AI technology. “We built our own foundation model using the data we’ve collected over the years,” Deka stated.
Its approach combines artists’ intuition with AI, ensuring that the models are production-ready and of the highest quality.
Deka said that unlike other AI tools such as Ready Player Me or Sloyd that produce low quality meshes, 3DAiLY’s models are fully rigged and animatable, compatible with various gaming engines like Unity, Unreal, and CryEngine.
“What MetaHuman did for Unreal, we’re doing for multiple engines,” he emphasised, adding that the rest of them are building tools and not a platform which has a built-in marketplace.
Overcoming Industry Challenges
Establishing such a pioneering company in India has not been without its challenges. “The space is not well understood, and getting VC funding is tough,” Deka noted. Despite these hurdles, 3DAiLY has garnered significant traction, with indie game developers and AAA studios alike adopting their technology.
Offering models at a fraction of the traditional cost, the company is breaking down barriers to high-quality 3D content creation.
Looking ahead, Deka envisions expanding 3DAiLY’s capabilities to include design-to-3D modelling tools, enabling artists to transform their ideas into tangible models.
“We’re building an ecosystem where artists can create assets and participate in an SDK, benefiting from in-game asset sales,” he explained. Currently, the platform has around 12,500 artists from 150 countries.
“Artists are critical to the success of games, yet they often earn the least,” Deka pointed out. By offering tools that significantly reduce production time and costs, 3DAiLY aims to empower artists, allowing them to focus on creativity while the AI handles the heavy lifting.
This approach not only enhances productivity but also ensures that high-quality 3D models are accessible to all.
