Niantic rolls out GenAI tools for 8th Wall developers

Niantic announced this week that it is introducing new generative AI developer tools to its 8th Wall platform. More specifically, it’s adding GenAI modules to 8th Wall that make it easier for developers to streamline their processes. Devs can use these tools to incorporate GenAI into their WebAR development within 8th Wall, and Niantic has also introduced two sample projects for developers.

The modules include Inworld AI’s Integration Module and the 8th Wall Integration Module for OpenAI. As the names suggest, these modules are designed to make integration with existing AI technology easier and more intuitive for 8th Wall developers. Inworld AI’s integration allows creators to add interactive AI-driven characters within AR projects. OpenAI’s module allows developers to more easily add ChatGPT and DALL-E for users to generate items within their AR world.

The two sample projects are Inworld’s Rainbow Crunchies project and the Gen AI Sample Project Powered by Open AI. Rainbow Crunchies features an Inworld-created AI character called Rainbow Ray which allows devs to test AI-based interaction. With the OpenAI project, developers can use DALL-E to generate an texture and apply it to an AR object. Ian Curtis, an XR developer with 8th Wall, inspired the project.

Curtis said in a statement, “What excites me most about integrating Generative AI into Augmented Reality is that it empowers every user to become an architect of their digital world. They’re no longer passively consuming content but actively creating it, shaping their experiences with the power of their imagination.”