Sonagraf became a four-year-old company since earlier this year. I am really excited to say, we are now officially established in my home country, Finland. I am so thankful for people giving me such a warm welcome home. We have a lot to announce in coming weeks.
Real-time CG, and fair to say, the whole CG industry has been in an odd place due to the developments in ai. I and many of my fellow CG art leads, VFX companies and colleagues have been incorporating several ai tools in our workflow, while feeling this strange uncomfortable feeling. Some of this stuff is genuinely useful, such as motion capture AI tools and the like, but I am not here to talk about that today.
3D artists have spent years on learning how to use their favorite DCC tool, while paying for expensive courses to get better in animation, subdivisional modeling, procedurally generated materials and the like. And then became art leads and starting their own creative agencies, animation studios and so on.
Advertising agencies have long used ai to create pitch decks while keeping humans in the creative lead. But they are now creating the actual advertisements with ai, skipping the whole human involved process with it with so far, rather questionable results.
Where are we now?
In 2026, doing a CG related LinkedIN post, person is more or less required to state whether ai was used in the work or not. Not using ai carries a risk of person being labeled as old fashioned Lightwave3D cowboy, while incorporating ai to the work might wake up the anti-ai trolls with pitch forks.
What is the point even trying? But I think, while everything seems to have already changed, also in surprising way nothing has. Humans are not stupid. Original creative work with high production value is in higher demand than ever.
Afterall human understands what looks uncanny or natural. Directors want to direct and get their message across exactly. Chef wants to be remembered of the balance and flavour of his dishes.
For example, experienced VFX artist understands how to use a specific timing and sequence of explosion effect to make it feel real. Character who is victim of a crime, going to a crime scene does not wear makeup, and character artist understands the human aspect of the scene. CG film featuring a grand father has old desk in his study that feels real, with PBR material featuring the scratches and scars of time, while keeping the warmth of wood.
We have capability of doing this because we know how it’s like to be alive. And we know we will die one day.
Whatever tools used, I would like to embrace the human creation that is part of it.