World Labs, the startup founded by AI pioneer Li, known as the “godmother of AI,” announced a $1 billion funding round led by major chipmakers AMD and Nvidia, software firm Autodesk, and other investors including Emerson Collective, Fidelity, and Sea.
The funding boost follows an initial $230 million raised in September 2024 and underscores strong industry confidence in World Labs’ pioneering work in spatial intelligence models—AI that understands and interacts with 3D environments.
Spatial intelligence represents a shift from traditional 2D data AI by enabling machines to reason about the physical world in three dimensions, which could transform applications in augmented reality, virtual reality, and robotics.
World Labs’ foundational AI models are designed to perceive, generate, and manipulate 3D spaces, positioning the company at the forefront of next-generation AI technologies with potential to impact multiple high-growth industries.