According to IndieWire, Jeffrey Katzenberg predicts that 90 percent of animation artists will be replaced by AI.

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“I don’t know of an industry that will be more impacted than any aspect of media, entertainment, and creation,” the DreamWorks SKG co-founder said. 

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Video editing and animation are notoriously long processes, so the industry is developing an array of AI solutions to improve time and cost efficiency. Market.us writes that the AI Video Generator Market will soar to $2.17 billion by 2032.

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While we at Aquifer do not believe the rise of AI will replace the jobs of animation artists and video editors, we do think that AI will help professionals work faster, unlock more creative freedom, and save studios time and money. But how do these tools help, and what do they do?  Let’s look at a few of the top AI platforms that are focused on film, animation, games, and brands. 

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Pika

Primary User: Everyday consumers

Use Case: Exploring Generative AI for 2D animation

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Pika is an AI video and animation platform known for its intuitive interface and beginner-friendly features. The platform automates the animation process by allowing users to submit a text prompt that generates a 3-4 second 2D animation. Users can continually iterate on their video clips by rerolling and editing. While it’s incredibly impressive and easy to use, the short video lengths and lack of continuity between clips make it difficult to create a narrative. Pika is still in the exploratory phase and has come very far in a short amount of time, making it a major AI platform to watch. 

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Stability AI

Primary User: Developers, businesses, and individuals looking to create images, and videos

Use Case: Generating high-resolution images and videos, API

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Stability AI distinguishes itself in the AI video and animation landscape with its open-source generative AI tools for artists, developers, and enterprises seeking consistent and high-quality image, video, and 2D animation results. The platform offers robust customization options and integration capabilities, making it suitable for a wide range of applications in industries such as advertising, marketing, and entertainment. This platform is most suitable for developer-types who can navigate a more complex interface.

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Runway

Primary User: Global brands, creative professionals

Use Case: Professionals needing quick and easy solutions for video editing

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Runway is a versatile AI platform with a suite of creation tools enabling users to quickly edit and create videos. Its capabilities include (but are not limited to) motion brush, background removal, image expansion, and video/image generation. Runway sets itself apart from other AI platforms by catering to top brands such as CBS, New Balance, and Assembly. While its generative video feature is rather impressive, it seems that it hasn’t yet gained as much traction as their AI editing tools. 

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Wonderstudio

Primary User: Upstart or casual filmmakers

Use Case: Casual filmmakers needing a quick and easy mocap solution

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WonderStudio has revolutionized the field of visual effects with its AI tool that simplifies and accelerates the animation, lighting, and composition processes for CG characters in live action scenes. By eliminating the need for MoCap, intricate 3D software, and costly production hardware, Wonder Dynamics empowers independent creators to integrate their CG character models into a single shot or entire scenes. It aims to democratize high-quality visual effects, providing independent filmmakers the capability to achieve blockbuster-level VFX results on a fraction of the traditional budget. 

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PentoPix

Primary User: Directors, film teams, and animators

Use Case: Pre Production--turns long scripts into animated storyboards for filmmaking, advertising, and game development

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PentoPix offers a text-to-video solution that transforms scripts into 3D animated videos for the previsualization stage of film production. Leveraging generative AI and NLP, PentoPix transcends traditional pre production processes, saving up to 80% of time and budget. It ensures full creative control, allowing users to edit every aspect of the scene, incorporate custom assets, and set camera tracks. Additionally, users are able to export to industry-standard tools like Unreal. PentoPix is still relatively new to the scene but has had a promising start winning the 2023 SXSW Pitch Awards in the “Entertainment, Media & Content” category.

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Synthesia

Primary User: Professionals with minimal video experience

Use Case: Training videos, how-to videos, product videos

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Synthesia specializes in AI-driven video synthesis, enabling users to generate realistic videos with virtual presenters. Users are able to submit text that the platform transforms into a video with a realistic looking avatar reading the information. Then the user can use the platform to integrate the video into templated slide decks, tutorials, and marketing videos. Synthesia has been widely adopted in corporate communications and e-learning due to its ease of use and aesthetically pleasing results.

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Anything World

Primary User: Game creators, skilled content creators

Use Case: Design firm streamlining collaborative 3D design projects

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Anything World automates laborious tasks involved in bringing 3D worlds to life. Offering Unity and Unreal SDKs, the platform allows users to access rigged and AI-animated 3D asset libraries, enhancing game development with a diverse array of models and environments. Anything World also provides the option to use text or voice to create and control 3D worlds. With their AI handling a lot of the technical aspects of 3D production, creators are free to focus on the enjoyable and creative aspects of bringing virtual worlds to life.

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Masterpiece X

Primary User: Aspiring indie game developers

Use Case: Remixing 3D models

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Masterpiece X is a revolutionary player in the 3D creation space, introducing a generative AI text-to-3D application that allows users to effortlessly generate assets with mesh, textures, and animations. With no need for command lines or expensive hardware, users can create intricate 3D models through a simple text input on a web browser. These models are compatible with industry-standard game engines such as Unity, Unreal Engine, and Blender, offering versatility in further manipulation or direct integration into various applications.

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Clara.io

Primary User: Designers and animators

Use Case: Indie creators can use their unlimited 3D models and AI Creator to design and animate more easily, quickly, and cheaply

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Clara.io is a cloud-based 3D modeling and rendering platform that offers a range of powerful tools for creating, editing, and rendering 3D models. It provides an extensive library of pre-built 3D models, textures, and animations, enhancing the creative process for designers and animators. With features like real-time rendering, animation editing, and a user-friendly interface, Clara.io caters to both beginners and experienced 3D artists, making it a valuable tool for various industries, including animation, gaming, architecture, and virtual reality.

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Aquifer Motion

Primary User: Video editors and content creators

Use Case: Content creators at established IP quickly animate short-form video content for YouTube shorts and short form episodes

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Aquifer Motion is an instant 3D animation platform for leading brands in film, TV, and entertainment. Users are able to transform their VO into studio-quality animations of their IP in minutes. The intuitive interface enables easy customization with features like facial expressions, body animations, and cinematic camera shots. Users can export in MP4 and upload into the video editing application of their choice for post processing before posting on social media channels. Aquifer Motion gives brands the ability to engage with fans and grow their audiences without the high cost of 3D animation. 

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AI platforms in the video editing and animation industries are unlocking new possibilities for both independent and established creators. Platforms like Pika and Synthesia are providing everyday, unskilled users with the ability to generate their own custom animations to enhance presentations and tutorials. Meanwhile, Wonderstudio and PentoPix are empowering independent filmmakers who otherwise would not be able to achieve professional VFX or 3D animated pre-production. Runway and Aquifer were the only platforms mentioned that work with global brands. While Runway provides impressive AI tools for video editing, it doesn’t touch animated brand IP. Aquifer has carved out its own unique niche in the AI landscape as the only platform that does instant 3D animation for globally-recognized brand IP like Baby Shark, Transformers, and Gabby’s Dollhouse.

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