World Labs, the innovative startup founded by AI visionary Fei-Fei Li, has officially launched its first project, redefining the possibilities of 3D world generation. The company’s cutting-edge AI technology can transform a single image into fully interactive, video game-like 3D environments, offering a level of immersion and creativity previously unimaginable.
While many AI tools can convert photos into static 3D models or scenes, World Labs stands apart by introducing interactivity and customization. This isn’t just 3D modeling — it’s stepping into a world created from a photograph.
“Our technology lets you step into any image and explore it in 3D,” World Labs shared in a blog post. “Beyond the input image, everything is generated.”
Image Credits: World Labs
A New Era of Interactive 3D Worlds
The AI-generated scenes are now available for public exploration in a demo on the World Labs website. These virtual environments, rendered live in your browser, feature a controllable camera with an adjustable simulated depth of field (DoF). This effect adds cinematic quality by blurring background objects to mimic real-world camera focus.
While the visuals lean slightly into a cartoonish aesthetic, the experience is undeniably captivating. More importantly, it’s interactive. Users can explore the generated world, modify elements like object colors, and adjust dynamic lighting. These aren’t static dioramas — they’re living, breathing digital spaces with a sense of solidity, depth, and responsiveness.
Image Credits: World Labs
World Labs’ approach contrasts sharply with other tools in the burgeoning “world models” space, such as Decart’s Minecraft-inspired system Oasis, which suffers from low resolution and inconsistent environments. By addressing these limitations, World Labs ensures its generated worlds retain their structure and follow fundamental physical principles.
Beyond 2D: Redefining Generative AI
While most generative AI focuses on producing 2D content like images or videos, World Labs is venturing into uncharted territory by prioritizing 3D. According to the company, this shift improves both creative control and the consistency of generated outputs, unlocking entirely new applications.
“This will change how we make movies, games, simulators, and other digital manifestations of our physical world,” World Labs emphasized in their announcement.
However, it’s not all perfect just yet. The current demo limits exploration to a predefined area, with boundaries preventing further movement. Occasionally, rendering glitches arise, such as objects blending together in ways that defy realism. But these issues are part of what the startup calls an “early preview.”
“We’re hard at work improving the size and fidelity of our generated worlds and experimenting with new ways for users to interact with them,” the company stated.
Image Credits: World Labs
Big Backing and Bigger Ambitions
Despite being in its infancy — World Labs launched earlier this year — the company has already made waves in the tech world. With $230 million in venture capital from top-tier investors like Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Intel Capital, AMD Ventures, Ashton Kutcher, and Eric Schmidt, the startup is valued at over $1 billion.
The team is targeting a wide range of industries, from gaming to filmmaking and beyond. The goal? To provide professionals — including artists, designers, developers, engineers, and filmmakers — with tools that democratize access to high-quality, interactive 3D environments.
“We already have the ability to create virtual, interactive worlds, but it costs hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars and a ton of development time,” said co-founder Justin Johnson on the a16z podcast. “World models will let you not just get an image or a clip out but a fully simulated, vibrant, and interactive 3D world.”
Looking Ahead: A Bold Vision for 2025
World Labs plans to release its first commercial product in 2025, setting the stage for a revolution in digital content creation. As they refine their AI and expand its capabilities, the potential use cases continue to grow.
From immersive gaming experiences to dynamic virtual film sets, World Labs is poised to transform how we think about — and create — the digital worlds around us. For now, the demo offers a glimpse into what’s possible, but the future promises far more.
With a mission to bring the physical and digital worlds closer than ever before, World Labs is charting a course toward an era where imagination truly has no boundaries.
