Autodesk is diving deep into the age of artificial intelligence with the announcement of two new AI tools for Maya. Revealed at the AU 2025 conference, these groundbreaking features, Autodesk Assistant and FaceAnimator, are designed to streamline workflows for artists in VFX, games, and motion graphics. Here’s everything you need to know about the latest AI tools for Maya.

Autodesk Assistant: Your New AI Partner

The first of these new AI tools is Autodesk Assistant, a new “agentic AI partner” designed to let you control Autodesk software by entering natural-language commands. This initiative is a broader effort than past experiments, intended to roll out across the majority of Autodesk’s product line, including its Media & Entertainment products like Maya and 3ds Max.

While a version of the feature already exists in design tools like AutoCAD and Revit, where it acts as a natural-language documentation search and support chatbot, the new version will expand its capabilities to a much broader range of tasks. 

• For example, for industrial designers, it could assign user permissions for a collaborative project using a simple command. 

• For entertainment professionals, the example cited was using natural language to animate a complex day-to-night lighting change in a scene.

FaceAnimator: AI-Powered Facial Animation

For many Maya users, FaceAnimator is likely the most exciting AI tool. FaceAnimator is an AI-powered tool that ues previously animated sequences from a project to generate facial and lip-sync animation from an audio file.

Unlike other AI animation tools that rely on pre-trained models, FaceAnimator can be trained locally on your own production data. This means it can “learn from any production rig” and “create high-quality animations that mimic the style of your project”.

While currently in a very early beta, the introduction of FaceAnimator at AU 2025 is a major step forward, building on Autodesk’s earlier release of MotionMaker.

Release & Availability

• FaceAnimator is currently in beta. 
• The updated Autodesk Assistant is due in beta later this year. 

It is worth noting that in the past, new technologies announced at Autodesk University have taken anywhere from six months to three years to reach the final production builds of Autodesk’s software.

Render Maya Faster at 3S Cloud Render Farm

As new AI tools for Maya empower artists with more detailed and complex projects, the final render can easily become a major bottleneck. The hours or even days of waiting for a single frame can kill your creative momentum. To truly unlock the power of your art, you need a solution that scales with your vision, not your local machine.

This is where a cloud rendering service becomes an essential part of your workflow. Instead of investing in expensive hardware, you gain on-demand access to a massive network of GPUs for truly efficient Maya rendering.

Why Artists Chose 3S Cloud Render Farm

• Full Software Support: We support all major Maya releases from 2028 to 2026, with key render engines like Arnold, V-Ray, Redshift, and Corona.
• Simple & Transparent Pricing: With our Cost Estimator, you can get a clear idea of your project’s total cost before you begin.
• Worry-Free Workflow: We handle the technical side so you can focus on your art. Simply upload your files, and our system takes care of the rest. 
• Free Preview Renders: We also offer Free Preview Render so you can check the final output and get a precise cost estimate for your entire project. 
• Zero-Storage Fee: Plus, we don’t charge storage fees, so you can upload even the largest jobs without worrying about extra costs.

Using a 3S Cloud Render Farm for Maya rendering is the most efficient way to get your projects done fast and on budget, especially with the demanding new features coming to Maya.

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