Tencent ramps up global AI efforts with roll-out of advanced Hunyuan 3D-generation system
Tencent Holdings released an updated 3D-generation system based on its artificial intelligence (AI) foundation model, Hunyuan, on open-source platforms, a move that is expected to help video game developers produce three-dimensional content more efficiently, from days to a few minutes.
The open-source Hunyuan3D 2.0, built on Tencent's own large language model (LLM), is used to generate high-resolution, textured 3D assets, according to a statement by the Shenzhen-based company on Tuesday.
The advanced system includes two foundation components: a shape-generation model called Hunyuan3D-DiT and a texture-synthesis model, Hunyuan3D-Paint.
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Tencent also rolled out Hunyuan3D Studio, which it touted as "the industry's first one-stop platform" that simplifies the recreation process for 3D content using AI. It is available to both professional and amateur users for manipulating or even animating their creations.
The updated 3D-generation model and AI production platform are expected to "effectively lower the barriers to entry for enthusiasts, developers and creators", Guo Chunchao, head of Tencent's Hunyuan3D team, said in the statement.
Apart from improving efficiency, these products would "help realise the value of 3D AI models across various industries", Guo added.
Tencent Holdings' advanced three-dimensional content-generation system includes the Hunyuan3D-DiT model, the Hunyuan3D-Paint model and the Hunyuan3D-Studio platform. Photo: Tencent alt=Tencent Holdings' advanced three-dimensional content-generation system includes the Hunyuan3D-DiT model, the Hunyuan3D-Paint model and the Hunyuan3D-Studio platform. Photo: Tencent>
Tencent's latest AI-powered system reflects the internet giant's efforts to advance 3D-content production, such as creating characters and objects in video games, generating avatars for social media and building prototypes in manufacturing.
Tencent said the system has already been internally used for video game production and other businesses. This has helped shorten development of 3D assets in video games from five to 10 days to only minutes, the company said.
LLM refers to the technology underpinning generative AI services such as ChatGPT. Open source gives public access to a software program's source code, allowing third-party developers to modify or share its design, fix broken links or scale up its capabilities.
Tencent's open-source Hunyuan3D 2.0 launch was widely featured on GitHub - an online platform that allows developers to create, store, manage and share their code - and Hugging Face, an AI community platform where users collaborate on models, data sets and applications.
The launch comes amid a heated race among Chinese tech firms to expand the adoption of their AI models and help create useful applications for various industries.
TikTok owner ByteDance, for example, on Wednesday unveiled its closed-source Doubao 1.5 Pro model that focuses on resource efficiency. That followed new LLM initiatives by AI start-ups Deepseek and Moonshot AI.
Meanwhile, Tencent has been enhancing the capabilities of its Hunyuan model. It launched an open-source text-to-video generation tool to enterprise and individual users in December, following its enhancement of text-to-image generation on Hunyuan in May.
On Wednesday, Tencent forged a deal with CP Axtra - the Thailand-based retail giant with over 2,600 stores in more than 10 countries - to use digital and AI technologies to revolutionise its operations, according to a joint announcement by the two companies. Tencent's cloud computing unit will help CP Axtra manage its inventory using Big Data, while enhancing its marketing performance via AI.
This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Copyright (c) 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
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