To make it easier for developers to create WebAR experiences, Niantic’s 8th Wall platform debuted support for “GenAI Modules” that will allow teams to quickly add tech from Inworld AI and OpenAI to their projects.

Niantic said GenAI Modules “remove the development overheads that typically stand in the way of adding this powerful technology to [developers’] WebAR experiences, providing developers with a hassle-free way to bring GenAI into WebAR experiences.”

The Inworld AI Integration Module allows developers to create experiences with game characters, brand ambassadors and more who can have natural conversations with people through augmented reality. A sample project on 8th Wall allows developers to preview this tech as they interact with a fictitious cereal mascot.

The Integration Module for OpenAI, meanwhile, offers multiple tools, including DALL-E and ChatGPT.

DALL-E allows developers to create WebAR experiences that utilize text as an input method. For example, users can input a text prompt that changes the appearance of the sky or a real-world object on their device screen.

ChatGPT can be used to create interactive experiences that respond to people in real-time. As one example, developers could create an experience that allows people to have a text-based conversation with a WebAR character.

A sample project is also available for the OpenAI module.

“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,” said Ian Curtis, XR developer at 8th Wall. “They’re no longer passively consuming content but actively creating it, shaping their experiences with the power of their imagination.”