Creative AI
AI video gets a reality check
Sora shut down while xAI and Google pushed cheaper video models. The money is moving from consumer apps to APIs other tools build on.
Orbit Roundup · 30 Mar – 5 Apr
Week 14in XR, AI, 3D & creative tech
20 stories · 7 min · out 6 Apr 2026. Picked by Tom Martin-Davies.
What's in the week
What happened this week:
- AI video gets a reality check. Sora shut down while xAI and Google pushed cheaper video models.
- Agents start driving creative tools. Claude ran Substance on its own, FigPrompt writes Figma plugins from a sentence, and Node Runner turns Blender node trees into text a model can read.
- Social VR shrinks, AR glasses grow. Rec Room closed its VR doors the same week Snap shipped a Spatial AI kit for Spectacles and Google folded AR into Search Live.
- The big labs go bigger. OpenAI raised $122B for its superapp and Anthropic confirmed Mythos, while the practical answer for many is a good local model.
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Trending
What happened this week2D, 3D & Design
Agents start driving creative tools
Claude ran Substance on its own, FigPrompt writes Figma plugins from a sentence, and Node Runner turns Blender node trees into text a model can read.
XR & Spatial
Social VR shrinks, AR glasses grow
Rec Room closed its VR doors the same week Snap shipped a Spatial AI kit for Spectacles and Google folded AR into Search Live.
Techradar ↗r/Spectacles ↗r/Spectacles ↗Arinsider Co ↗r/augmentedreality ↗
Creative AI
The big labs go bigger
OpenAI raised $122B for its superapp and Anthropic confirmed Mythos, while the practical answer for many is a good local model.
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Inspiration
5 projects · tap to watch03
Your feed
All the week's newsFollow topics to build your feed
AIFortune
Anthropic confirms Claude Mythos is real
Following a data leak, Anthropic confirmed its next-tier Mythos model. It represents a step change in reasoning and coding performance compared to current frontier models.
AITechCrunch
Sora shutdown is a reality check for AI video
Analysis of OpenAI's decision to discontinue Sora. It raises questions about whether this is a strategic pivot or a broader industry pullback on generative video technology.
DesignCgchannel
Tamga: lightweight 3D sculpting and painting
VFX TD Ahmet Levent Taşel released a minimalist sculpting tool for browser, desktop, and iPad. It focuses on simplicity and clay-like workflows rather than complex button memorization.
AILinks Tldrnewsletter
xAI doubles down on generative video
As OpenAI pulls back from Sora, xAI is embedding generative video natively into the X platform. They are leveraging SpaceX funding and existing distribution to scale.
DesignLinkedin
Claude takes autonomous control of Substance
Mohammed Anuz demonstrated giving Claude direct control over Substance Painter via MCP. The AI can build layer stacks, bake maps, and export textures from a conversation.
XRr/Spectacles
Spatial AI Kit for Snap Spectacles
An open-source developer kit that simplifies placing AI-generated 3D objects on physical surfaces. Integrates Snap3D, voice recognition, and Remote Service Gateway.
XRr/Spectacles
Smash AR: Mixed reality table tennis
A developer showcase of an AR-first table tennis experience built for Snap Spectacles. It focuses on physics-based play and spatial interaction on the device.
XRTechradar
Rec Room VR closure and the shift to AR
Following Rec Room's shutdown, speculation is growing that assets could fuel future AR initiatives. This marks another significant closure in the pure VR social space.
AIMarktechpost
Google releases Veo 3.1 Lite video API
New model tier via the Gemini API designed for production-scale video generation. It offers developers a low-cost, high-speed alternative for AI-driven content production.
XRr/augmentedreality
YouTube launches native Vision Pro app
The official app update finally enables spatial viewing on Apple's headset. This unlocks 360-degree and VR180 immersive video content for Vision Pro users.
DesignFigprompt
FigPrompt: Generate Figma plugins from text
New utility that builds custom Figma plugins using natural language descriptions. Automatically packages and delivers ready-to-install tools in about two minutes.
AIOpenai
OpenAI raises $122B for AI superapp
OpenAI secured record funding at an $852B valuation. They revealed plans to consolidate ChatGPT, Codex, and autonomous agents into a single unified AI superapp.
XRArinsider Co
Google Search Live fuses AR and AI
Analysis of Google's visual search technology that combines real-time voice and visual inputs. This multimodal approach could be the primary interface for smart glasses.
DesignBlendernation
Node Runner: Export Blender nodes as text
Add-on for exporting selected node trees as plain text, supporting shaders and geometry nodes. Makes collaboration and version control much easier for technical artists.
AITheneuron
The 2026 AI Proficiency Stack Guide
A framework for moving from basic prompting to autonomous agent deployment. Practical strategies for managing projects and maximizing individual productivity with AI.
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