"We foresee the rise of a new kind of creator": Vidu AI and Aura Productions on their AI-generated sci-fi anime series
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
We've seen glimpses of AI-generated films and TV series before, but we've yet to see one that's watchable. AI video generation still has considerable limitations when it comes to consistency, but Aura Productions thinks that it's starting to over come that.
Aura's planning to launch an AI-generated sci-fi series for social media made using Vidu AI video generator. Will it be better than that daft AI romance? We spoke to showrunner D.T. Carpenter and Evan Liao, the head of Vidu to learn more.
ShengShu Technology's Vidu is a Chinese challenger to the likes of Open AI's Sora (also see our guide to AI image generators). Aura Productions, which was founded by Luo Yan and D.T. Carpenter, is using the model to make what it says will be a a groundbreaking sci-fi anime series created entirely with generative AI. Episodes will only be one or two minutes long, but 50 are planned, and they'll be released on social media platforms later in the year.
We're told the series was made possible by Vidu's 'Multiple-Entity Consistency feature', which is intended to enable the integration of characters, objects, and environments into complex animations with consistent and cohesive storytelling. While the episodes will be very short, D.T tells me he thinks it's the ideal length for social media with the current emphasis on fast pace and quick engagement.
D.T. Carpenter (DC): The creative process combines traditional anime workflows with modern technological solutions to optimize production. While we adhere to standard animation principles, we also integrate AI to help streamline certain aspects of the process, reducing both time and cost. This approach allows us to maintain high quality visuals while being flexible in our execution.
Evan Liao (EL): Traditional animation ensures consistency through manual frame-by-frame adjustments, whereas AI-generated content requires advanced techniques like Vidu's Multiple-Entity Consistency to achieve the same effect.
Many existing AI models are not yet capable of ensuring visual consistency with complex inputs that require the processing of multiple subjects or environments, and the attributes of multiple characters tend to blend or become inconsistent midway. However, we've made major strides in overcoming this, ensuring stable character designs, smooth motion, and cohesive world-building throughout the series.
DC: The biggest challenge has been achieving consistency and control in AI-generated animation. Vidu has been an amazing partner in helping refine our process and improve results.
EL: This is an AI generated animation series. Aura Productions is using Vidu for the majority of the animation, and may further apply additional refinements to enhance the final results.
EL: AI is already reshaping animation, making production faster, more scalable, and accessible to a wider range of creators. AI will unlock new possibilities for creative storytelling by pushing visual boundaries.
DC: AI is unlocking new creative potential, and we're likely to see more studios incorporating AI into their workflows.
EL: This series of anime shorts is a landmark for AI-generated animation, the challenge is proving that AI can deliver compelling narratives and visually stunning content. Our goal is to create an engaging experience that resonates with audiences while demonstrating the potential of AI in animation.
DC: At its core, animation is about story and character—those are the elements that resonate most with audiences. AI is simply a tool to help bring creative visions to life.
EL: With AI introducing new tools that expand creative possibilities, animators should definitely consider incorporating it into their workflow rather than treating it as a threat that replaces traditional skills. We foresee the rise of a new kind of creator – someone who understands both animation principles and AI's capabilities, using both to craft innovative content. AI is a transformative force, and those who adapt early will be at the forefront of the next era of animation.
DC: Looking ahead, we see a synthesis between creators and AI, where smaller teams can achieve much more than ever before. AI will enhance and expand creative abilities, allowing for more ambitious projects without the same traditional resource constraints. Rather than replacing artists, AI will empower them, enabling new storytelling possibilities that might not have been feasible in the past.
The few adverts that we have seen made with AI have been pretty horrendous, including the recent Volvo AI ad and the Coca-Cola Christmas ad. Meanwhile, the so-called 'Netflix of AI', Showrunner, plans to implement AI video generation to allow users to tell their own stories, but it remains to be seen how AI-generated video will be received.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rare Labubu sells for more than $150,000 at auction
A rare, first-generation Labubu figure has sold for $150,000 in Beijing at an auction held exclusively for the toys that have taken the world by storm. The 131-centimeter (51-inch) mint green figurine with a gremlin-like appearance, sharp teeth and puckish grin went for 1.08 million yuan ($150,325) at the Yongle International Auction house that normally specializes in selling jewelry and modern art. 'Congratulations to the online buyer on collecting the world's only such one,' said the auctioneer at an exhibition center in downtown Beijing on Tuesday afternoon. Labubus are currently the trendiest plush toys on the planet, created by Hong Kong-born illustrator Kasing Lung and retailed by the Chinese toy giant Pop Mart. In recent months, the bunny-bodied, elf-faced creatures — equal parts grotesque and adorable — have soared in popularity, sparking buying frenzies around the world, and in some cases, brawls among fans outside shops selling them. Even in China, where Pop Mart is based and most of its toys are made, people are struggling to get their hands on Labubus. A total of 48 Labubus were auctioned at the special event, billed as the 'World's First' auction of first generation collectible Labubus. A brown, 160-centimeter (63-inch) Labubu figure, sold for $114,086, the second highest hammer price at the event. The company said only 15 such figures exist around the world. Other figures went for more than $1,000 each. 'As a trendy toy in China, Labubu is now becoming a global artwork as it has truly sparked a craze around the world,' Zhao Xu, the founder of Yongle Auction, told state-owned outlet The Beijing News. Zhao said the company plans to hold monthly livestream auctions for Labubu and other trendy artworks. A pair of Minions-like Labubus sold at auction for 10,000 yuan ($1,391). Buyers at the auction also had to pay an additional 15% brokerage fee on top of the hammer prices. And it's not rare to see a price inflation of Labubus due to the crazy demand in China. For instance, a blind box from the latest Labubu 3.0 series, originally priced at around $81, has been selling for up to $278 on the second-hand market, state-owned outlet Cover News reported. Labubu's viral popularity has been a booster for Pop Mart. Annual results show that the Chinese company's global gross profit surged by over 125% last year, while its revenue in mainland China reached more than $1.09 billion, 34% higher than 2023.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Labubu toy sculpture sold for $150,000 at China auction
A Beijing auction house has sold a four-foot-tall sculpture of a viral plush toy character for more than $150,000, as global demand for the Chinese-designed Labubu dolls reaches fever pitch. The rabbit-like figures sporting mischievous grins began as a character created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung, and are made by Beijing-based toy brand Pop Mart. They have been endorsed by celebrities such as Rihanna and Dua Lipa, and fans have queued overnight outside stores hoping to snag one, with analysts pointing to the phenomenon as evidence of China's growing soft power. On Tuesday, a teal sculpture depicting a Labubu character with a furry body and head fetched an eye-watering 1.08 million yuan ($150,260) at an auction held in Beijing, according to the auction house's app. The sculpture is "the only piece of its kind in the world", according to Yongle International Auction. It was offered alongside other Labubu paraphernalia including a brown statue that sold for 820,000 yuan. Pop Mart has over 400 stores globally, including 30 US branches. The worldwide frenzy has seen people go to desperate lengths to acquire their own Labubu. Last month a London branch of Pop Mart suspended in-store sales of the toys, fearing violence from would-be buyers who failed to get their hands on the limited-edition Labubus. In Singapore, CCTV footage captured a family stealing Labubu dolls from a claw machine, according to Singaporean online media outlet AsiaOne. Burglars broke into a store in California last week and took several Labubu dolls along with electronics and other valuables, American news outlet ABC reported. In China, the toys have been promised as freebies for new bank customers -- an incentive quickly shut down by local regulators, according to Chinese media reports. The toys have spawned a booming resale market as well as an online community of fans sharing tips on how to customise their dolls. Knockoffs -- many of which are also made in China -- have flooded online platforms, dubbed "Lafufus" by social media users. tjx/reb/dhc

Business Insider
3 hours ago
- Business Insider
A huge K-pop band is teaming up with the viral ugly toy Labubu
Two giants of Asia — K-pop band Seventeen and viral doll Labubu — are joining forces. Seventeen, one of K-pop's biggest acts du jour, is set to release a new song on June 11, "Bad Influence," produced by Pharrell Williams. Leading up to the release, Williams' online auction site, Joopiter, launched a collaboration with Chinese toymaker Pop Mart to make 14 custom Labubu dolls with Seventeen branding. Labubu, a furry toy with a wide, sinister grin, has taken the world by storm, created massive queues around the world, and made millions for parent company Pop Mart. The company's stock is up about 600% in the past year. The 6.7-inch dolls in the Seventeen collaboration are clad in gray onesies by fashion brand Carhartt and feature neon green fur, a color not seen on a Labubu thus far. They also sport a mixed metal necklace and black toenail polish. "Blending the worlds of collectibles and high fashion, this marks the first official collaboration between Labubu and an international fashion brand—a testament to the creative possibilities born from cultural crossover," Joopiter's product description wrote. Per Joopiter's website, the toys have been listed for a charity auction with an expected bid price of $300 to $500. As of press time, the highest bid price on the dolls was $2,200. Bidding closes in a week. The Labubus are part of a larger collaboration between Seventeen and Sacai, a Japanese luxury fashion brand. The collection also includes a leather jacket, caps, hoodies, and a white T-shirt signed by 11 members of Seventeen. While this is the first official collaboration between K-pop and Labubu, Labubu's ties with K-pop run deep. The toy's popularity is partly attributed to Lisa, one of the four singers from the hit K-pop band Blackpink, who posted the plush toy on her Instagram last April.