From IKEA to AI: How 3D Evolved, and What Comes Next

From IKEA to AI: How 3D Evolved, and What Comes Next

What does it take to pioneer 3D at scale?  In this episode, Max sits down with Martin Enthed, former IKEA 3D leader, to explore how one of the world’s most iconic brands pushed the boundaries of CGI, AR, and real-time 3D, and what’s coming next.  From early CGI innovation to AI-driven workflows, this conversation dives into the evolution of 3D pipelines and the challenges that still remain.  Note: At the time of recording, Martin’s new company had not yet been announced publicly. The company he is now working at is called Physicl. Learn more at Physicl.ai.  💡 Key topics:  * How IKEA led the shift from photography to CGI  * The rise of AR and real-time 3D in e-commerce  * Why AI-generated images are ahead of 3D  * The challenge of turning visuals into usable 3D data  * The future of spatial understanding and AI-driven environments  * Why 3D modeling is still complex (and what could change)    One big idea:  The future isn’t just generating images,  it’s understanding and generating entire 3D spaces.  🎧 Listen on all platforms:  https://podcast.rapidpipeline.com/ [https://podcast.rapidpipeline.com/]  #3D #DigitalTwins #AI #SpatialComputing #IKEA #XR #RealTime3D #VirtualForReal

AI, Digital Twins & eCommerce 3D: Why 3D Artists Are Still Essential | Tobias Nientiedt

Is AI really about to replace 3D artists? In Episode 6 of Virtual, For Real, Max sits down with Tobias Nientiedt, 3D & CGI Generalist at Accenture, to explore the real impact of AI on professional 3D production. This episode goes far beyond the usual “AI will replace creatives” narrative. Instead, we take a deep dive into years of real-world experience and state-of-the-art 3D & AI workflows for eCommerce and enterprise. We discuss: * Sample-less production * CAD-based 3D pipelines * Furniture CGI * 3D-powered retail experiences * Digital Twins * AI in production environments * The role of art direction * Enterprise projects (including work with global brands like Nestlé) Tobias shares why AI, while powerful, is still not production-ready for high-end, client-driven workflows, especially when control, iteration, and precision matter. One key takeaway:  AI is not a replacement for 3D artists, it’s another tool in the toolbox. If you work in CGI, digital twins, retail 3D, or enterprise content creation, this conversation gives you a grounded, industry-level perspective on where we really stand today. 🎧 Subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of 3D, AI, and real production workflows.

The Future of 3D Careers: AI, Digital Twins & Hiring for Innovation

In this episode of Virtual For Real, Max welcomes Michael Tanzillo from Adobe for a deep dive into the evolving world of 3D, AI, and digital twins. From his journey in games and VFX to shaping 3D workflows for enterprise, Michael shares how AI is transforming pipelines, why traditional job titles are disappearing, and how companies now hire for innovation over predefined skills. Michael is also running “The 3D Artists”, a community for 3D artists interested in diving into real-world use cases and jobs outside of games and VFX.  Whether you're a 3D artist, student, or tech leader, this episode offers valuable insights into the future of 3D careers and why being adaptable has never been more important. 🎧 Listen, get inspired, and don’t forget to connect with Michael on LinkedIn.

Building the Digital Twin of Our World, with Patrick Cozzi (Cesium / Bentley Systems)

In this episode of Virtual For Real, Max Limper welcomes Patrick Cozzi, CEO & Co-founder of Cesium and Chief Platform Officer at Bentley Systems. Together, they dive into the fascinating world of digital twins, open standards, and planet-scale 3D visualization, from Cesium’s open-source beginnings to Bentley’s infrastructure platform, and even simulations on the Moon and Mars.  Patrick also shares a deeply personal story that led him to found Create Access, a nonprofit using 3D creation to empower young people.  🎧 Tune in to explore how openness, community, and purpose are shaping the future of 3D.  #3D [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/3d] #DigitalTwins [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/digitaltwins] #Cesium [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/cesium] #Bentley [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/bentley] #VirtualForReal [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/virtualforreal] #RapidPipeline [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/rapidpipeline]

From Scan to Semantics: Making Digital Twins Useful

Digital twins only deliver outsized value when 3D starts at design. In this episode, Max Limper talks with Antonio González Viegas (CEO, That Open Company) about why many buildings still lack native BIM and how the industry fills the gap with scan-to-BIM. Antonio explains that the core blocker isn’t raw rendering tech, it’s semantics and a closed, proprietary ecosystem. Point clouds or “triangle soup” aren’t useful until you can select an object (e.g., a column) and attach properties. They dig into IFC/STEP bottlenecks for the real-time web (heavy parsing and thousands of Boolean operations before first frame) and how Fragments, an open-source format by That Open Company, pre-bakes geometry + metadata to load huge models in seconds after conversion. Looking ahead, the team is pushing two fronts beyond viewing: native open editing and automated 2D documentation (PDF plans) from 3D, still the industry’s dominant deliverable.