By @SiliconANGLE
Publication Date: 2026-02-18 23:09:00
Artificial intelligence model developer World Labs Inc. today announced that it has raised $1 billion in funding.
The capital was provided by a consortium that included Nvidia Corp., Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Autodesk Inc. and several others. The engineering software maker invested $200 million. Autodesk’s cash infusion will lay groundwork for an AI research collaboration with World Labs.
World Labs was founded in 2024 by pioneering AI researcher Fei-Fei Li. It raised about $230 million in funding before today’s round. The company develops world models, neural networks that generate interactive three-dimensional virtual environments.
World Labs debuted its first AI model in November. Marble, as the algorithm is called, can generate 3D environments based on user-provided text, images and videos. A tool called Chisel makes it possible to refine those environments after they’re generated by entering natural language instructions.
According to World Labs, one of the use cases to which Marble can be applied is robotics software development. Many robots are powered by onboard AI models. Those models, in turn, are usually trained in a simulated version of the environment where their host robots are deployed. Marble can generate a virtual replica of a robot’s operating environment and export it to third-party simulation software.
A job posting indicates that World Labs plans to increase its focus on the robotics market in the wake of its new funding round. The…
