Virtual property platform Upland has reported a 70% acceleration in its 3D asset production. The feat, revealed in a recent blog post on AI startup Kaedim’s official Medium page, highlights the evolving partnership between the ventures, which began earlier this year.
An AI platform specializing in transforming images into digital 3D models through Machine Learning algorithms, Kaedim has been working “hand in hand” with Upland, according to the post, which featured a case study detailing recent strides that have been made.
In less than two weeks, it’s claimed that the collaborators took two original IP campaigns from inception to production, covering elements such as Map Assets, Structure Ornaments, Go Karts and Wearables. Per the case study, Upland and Kaedim share a vision to revolutionize content creation pipelines, allowing creatives to develop UGC with fewer resources.
A New Era for Content Creation
By integrating Kaedim’s innovative technology, Upland is said to have optimized its workflows, “pushing the boundaries of efficiency and redefining the 3D production pipeline for a new era of creative possibilities.” As the leading virtual property platform, Upland already boasts over 3 million registered players with 4 million virtual assets sold to date.
The integration of Kaedim’s AI-powered 3D asset generation has specifically led to a staggering sevenfold acceleration in production as well as a 72% reduction in production time. This advancement could well turn out to be a game-changer for Upland, enabling it to offer its users a more dynamic and rewarding gaming experience.
Kaedim’s image-to-mesh technology is said to save users hours of production time for the creation of simple objects and potentially days of manual sculpting for complex objects such as wearables or characters. The swifter pipeline and more responsible development cycles, meanwhile, mean Upland can now provide frequent updates with new assets and features, keeping the platform fresh and engaging.
Experimentation is Key
For Upland’s loyal users, the benefits of this partnership are manifold. As well as time-saving advantages, they will enjoy greater flexibility in customizing virtual experiences thanks to an influx of new assets, a development that will provide higher levels of personalization for in-game spaces and avatars.
Kaedim’s collaboration with Upland has gone beyond the simple provision of technology; it has been involved in creating specific add-on features tailored to the needs of Upland’s team. In a quote cited in the blog but unattributed to an individual, it was noted that “working with the (Upland) team on specific add-on features has been great. 3D generative AI is very new right now, and experimentation has been key for us.”
The team acceleration and pipeline automation facilitated by Kaedim include AI sketching, AI modeling, and blender detailing, with the new streamlined asset production process opening up fresh avenues for Upland’s user base to explore innovative ideas. User-made experiences are central to Upland, as they are in leading web2 games like Fortnite and Roblox.
Blockchain and AI – Happy Bedfellows
The worlds of blockchain and AI are increasingly colliding, and the collaboration between Upland and Kaedim is just one example. Elsewhere, crypto games are using AI to govern lore, blockchain-based real estate marketplaces are integrating AI into their platforms, and there is a spate of so-called AI cryptocurrency projects like Injective and Fetch.ai.
As far as Upland is concerned, the obvious beneficiaries of these improvements in the efficiency of 3D model production will be users. As the platform continues to evolve amid brightening market conditions, its collaboration with Kaedim could play its part in shaping the future of gaming and digital content creation.