Sep 24, 2024

VAST’s Tripo: A glimpse into the future of 3D generation While VAST might not be a household name in China, it has deep roots in the AI world. Founded by former members of MiniMax and SenseTime, the company has focused on international markets from the get-go. In China, its core clientele is B2B, but overseas, VAST’s ventures have already found solid footing. At the heart of its offerings is Tripo, a 3D generation model known for both its speed and user-friendly design. With just a text or image input, Tripo can whip up a 3D prototype in as little as eight seconds. It integrates seamlessly with all major 3D editing software and is primed for 3D printing, making it a versatile tool for designers and engineers alike. GIF showcasing Tripo’s 3D printing capabilities. Graphic source: 36Kr. GIF showcasing Tripo’s 3D prototyping capabilities. Graphic source: 36Kr. In January 2024, VAST made waves by launching Tripo 1.0, boasting tens of billions of parameters—a significant achievement in the 3D modeling space where data is often sparse. By September 19, Tripo 2.0 was unveiled, upping the ante with the ability to generate not only 3D shapes and textures but also handle complex tasks like physically based rendering (PBR) in mere seconds. Yinfeng: AI-generated music goes viral In July 2024, a song with the unusual title Huan Wo Ma Sheng Bi—which translates loosely to “give me back my mom’s nose”—took Weibo by storm. The track, released by social media personality Qin Xinyu after a botched cosmetic surgery, wasn’t the product of a professional music team. In fact, Qin didn’t compose it at all. Instead, it came from Yinfeng, an AI music generation platform that had been live for less than two months. What sets Yinfeng apart is its ability to generate longer, more cohesive tracks—something that’s no small feat in the world of AI-generated music. According to the team, one of the biggest hurdles is maintaining a consistent style throughout a piece, especially when it stretches beyond a minute. Most AI tools struggle to keep the music coherent from start to finish. But Yinfeng managed to crack that code. It can generate tracks up to four minutes long while preserving a relatively uniform style throughout. Users just input lyrics, pick a genre from the platform’s extensive music and vocal libraries, and let the AI do the rest. Despite its capabilities, Yinfeng is still most often used to create music for short videos—a popular format in the age of TikTok and Weibo, where quick, catchy clips dominate. Photo of Yinfeng’s audio experience zone at Apsara Conference. Photo source: 36Kr. HiDream.ai: AI-generated images tailored for e-commerce At HiDream.ai’s booth, the buzz was palpable as waves of Yiwu merchants stopped to see what the platform could do for their businesses. Founded by Mei Tao, former vice president of JD Explore Academy, HiDream.ai was built with e-commerce at its heart. While its expertise lies in AI image generation, the platform goes beyond simple automation. Named Zhixiang, it functions like a full-fledged product image studio, covering everything from staging to shooting to post-production. For e-commerce merchants, HiDream.ai simplifies the process of creating polished, high-quality product images. It offers remarkable flexibility: merchants can set backgrounds, adjust lighting, and even select models. When generating images for clothing, for instance, users can fine-tune everything from the model’s pose and gender to skin tone and ethnicity—all with just a few clicks. The result? A streamlined process that puts professional-level product photography within reach for businesses of any size. Graphic source: 36Kr. Galbot: The laidback robot clerk Galbot G1, developed by Galbot, gave conference-goers a glimpse of the future with its demo in an unmanned store scenario. In this setup, customers placed orders using a tablet, and Galbot G1 dutifully headed to the shelves to fetch the requested items. However, its performance wasn’t quite ready for prime time—retrieving a simple iced tea took nearly a minute, raising questions about whether the robot could keep up in a fast-paced commercial setting. A little more speed, it seems, might be needed before it’s ready for retail. But unmanned stores are just one potential application for Galbot G1. The robot also showed off its versatility, picking up randomly placed items like bottled water and umbrellas, opening cabinet doors, and even folding laundry. According to onsite staff, these robots could be commercialized by the end of 2024, but for now, they remain a work in progress. GIF featuring the Galbot G1, showcased at Apsara Conference. Graphic source: 36Kr. Qingbao: Lifelike robots ready for factory floors Working alongside humanoid robots might soon be part of the daily grind. At Qingbao’s booth, a lineup of eerily lifelike robots, striking new poses every few seconds, was on display. Their hyper-realistic eye movements and blank expressions left some attendees feeling unsettled—cue the “uncanny valley” effect. But these machines weren’t built for companionship or entertainment. They are headed straight for the factory floor. GIF featuring one of Qingbao’s humanoid robots, showcased at Apsara Conference. Graphic source: 36Kr. In most factories today, robots are limited to robotic arms handling repetitive tasks, as fully integrated humanoid robots are still costly. But Qingbao’s humanoid models are already shaking things up, taking on quality checks and parts distribution. One customer shared that they opted for these robots because they “wanted the production line to feel warmer.” Yet, for most clients, the real appeal isn’t warmth—it’s the bottom line. According to Qingbao’s staff, these robots could slash labor costs by as much as 20% annually, making them an attractive option for companies looking to streamline operations. Coocaa: Cloud TV clings to AI lifeline As TV sets continue to lose ground to smart mobile devices, cloud television manufacturers have had to scramble to stay relevant. But in 2024, Coocaa found a lifeline in AI. With its AI-powered operating system, Coocaa lets users search for TV shows, movies, and even online content using voice commands. Much like a smart assistant, it also offers personalized recommendations based on viewing preferences. Ask which shows feature Chen Daoming as an emperor, and you’ll get instant results like Joy of Life, King’s War, and Kangxi Dynasty. What’s more, all the actor photos and drama stills in the search results are generated by AI, tailored to match the user’s preferences. Since launching the AI-powered OS, Coocaa has seen a notable uptick in voice interaction usage, all while managing to keep technical costs under control—rising by no more than 10%. GIF featuring Coocaa’s AI-powered operating system, showcased at Apsara Conference. Graphic source: 36Kr. Alibaba Cloud: Auto-generated subtitles for videos A well-produced TV series should be able to subtitle itself in multiple languages, right? That’s no longer just a wishful thought—it’s a reality, thanks to Alibaba Cloud’s video team. Subtitling a show in foreign languages used to be a labor-intensive process: first transcribing the Chinese subtitles, then translating them, and finally editing them back into the video. But now, with algorithms developed by Alibaba’s Tongyi Lab, all you need to do is upload the video file, and the system takes care of the rest. For instance, in the case of Empresses in the Palace, the AI can automatically generate English subtitles—no manual editing required. Subtitling shows in foreign languages is no longer a hassle with algorithms from Alibaba’s Tongyi Lab. Liepin’s Doris: AI is sending you your next job offer The first wave of digital human interviewers is already on the job. Doris, one of Liepin’s flagship products, is an AI-powered interviewer capable of conducting over 400 interviews in just 24 hours. Liepin’s Doris could conduct your next job interview, in place of a human interviewer. Graphic source: 36Kr. Right now, Liepin’s AI interviews feature preset questions alongside an intelligent Q&A system. The AI analyzes an applicant’s resume, picking up details like job changes or average tenure, and adjusts its follow-up questions accordingly. But not everyone’s sold on the experience. Some candidates reported feeling more anxious during these AI interviews, pointing to the lack of real-time interaction and facial feedback from the emotionless digital interviewer. Liepin’s team recommends using AI for initial screenings, but they acknowledge that when it comes to hiring top talent, the human touch still plays an irreplaceable role. Motiff: Designing user interfaces with a single sentence Motiff, China’s leading large model developer for user interface design, is making life a lot easier for designers. What used to take at least a week can now be done in seconds—literally. All it takes is a sentence. Users just input the type of interface they need, list the components, and add a brief description. In about 20 seconds, Motiff generates two UI design drafts, ready for review. The real magic is in the details. Motiff’s deep understanding of layout means repetitive tasks—like copying and pasting—have been reduced to a single drag-and-drop action, streamlining the entire process. Graphic source: 36Kr.