China unveils world's 1st AI giant panda living in a 'cloud habitat'

(Photo/Screenshot of a video released on website of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has managed to capture the cuteness of the giant panda as the world's first virtual panda was unveiled on Wednesday by National Forestry and Grassland Administration, China Media Group and internet giant Tencent.  

The virtual panda IP is based on Tencent's technologies to realize ultra-high definition restoration of a giant panda's body and over 2 million hair strands. Tencent's large model "Hunyuan" enabled the panda to chat and promote science knowledge, according to the website of NFRA.

Under the professional guidance of the China Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center, Tencent used the high-fidelity modeling technology to conduct complex geometric detail processing on more than 2 million hair strands covering  the virtual panda, making the texture and dynamic process of the hair closer to reality. 

Based on real physiological structure of the giant panda, intelligent bone binding, super 3A film-level high-precision biological rendering was used to restore the bone and muscle details in the movement of the giant panda. 

The virtual panda also has a "cloud habitat" which leverages high-fidelity technology to replicate the environment of the Wolong Giant Panda Nature Reserve 1:1, and simulate 79 real plants, as well as rocks, waterfalls, and streams.

Users can interact with the virtual panda on a mobile app by feeding and chatting with it. 

"Do not be jealous of Sichuan people, you can have your own panda," read a comment on Sina Weibo.