TLDRs:
- Tencent launches open-source Hunyuan3D model to create 3D worlds from a single image or text prompt.
- Model generates explorable 360-degree scenes compatible with game engines and animation software.
- Hunyuan3D integrates with industry-standard CG pipelines, supporting editing, simulation, and creative workflows.
- Tencent aims to foster open collaboration among developers with superior texture, realism, and instruction accuracy.
Tencent has released Hunyuan3D World Model 1.0, its latest innovation in AI-powered 3D scene generation.
The model, unveiled at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, represents a major leap in generative AI for virtual worlds, capable of turning a single image or a few lines of text into fully navigable, realistic 3D environments.
This release marks Tencent’s entry into the race to develop foundational AI models for immersive content creation, a space that has become increasingly competitive among Chinese tech giants. By open-sourcing the Hunyuan3D model, Tencent has made it accessible to global developers, game designers, and 3D artists, reinforcing its commitment to democratizing cutting-edge tools.
This is big deal to be honest…
At WAIC 2025, Shanghai, Tencent announced Tencent Hunyuan3D World Model 1.0. Powered by Hunyuan 3D v2.5 (the first sparse 3D-native architecture), it generates fully navigable 3D environments just from text or image.
> Editable components:… pic.twitter.com/ygj2TXJQi9
— AshutoshShrivastava (@ai_for_success) July 27, 2025
Real-Time 3D Worlds from Simple Inputs
The Hunyuan3D World Model stands out for its ability to generate interactive, 360-degree virtual environments from text descriptions or static images. Unlike traditional 3D modeling processes that require time-consuming manual work, Hunyuan3D automates the creation of explorable scenes with accurate textures, lighting, and object placement.
A key highlight is its compatibility with computer graphics (CG) pipelines, the standardized workflows used in gaming, film, and animation. The output can be exported as 3D meshes and seamlessly integrated into popular platforms like Unreal Engine, Unity, and Blender.
Tencent claims that the model surpasses existing open-source alternatives in terms of texture realism, instruction fidelity, and generation quality, making it ideal for rapid prototyping, VR experience creation, and digital twins.
Open-Source Strategy Signals Tencent’s AI Ambitions
By releasing Hunyuan3D to the public, Tencent is signaling a strategic shift, leaning into open innovation and community collaboration.
This move mirrors a broader trend in China’s AI race, where leading firms are not only developing proprietary models but also inviting global participation to accelerate development.
The model arrives as Tencent’s response to intensifying competition. On the same stage at WAIC, rival AI firm SenseTime introduced SenseNova V6.5, a multimodal model claimed to outperform Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro and Anthropic’s Claude 4-Sonnet. While SenseTime focuses on language and image understanding, Tencent appears to be staking its claim in immersive and spatial AI.
Broader AI Ecosystem: From Code to Worlds
Hunyuan3D is just one piece of Tencent’s expanding AI toolkit. Earlier this year, the company also unveiled CodeBuddy IDE, a full-stack AI development environment that allows users to build software applications by describing them in natural language.
The platform integrates with Figma and Tencent CloudBase, enabling non-developers to build and deploy apps without writing code.
Together, these initiatives reflect Tencent’s broader vision of enabling creators,to bring their ideas to life in digital spaces.
