Google Research and Google DeepMind have developed a groundbreaking AI system called Bolt3D that can transform ordinary photos into complete 3D scenes in just seconds.
This new technology represents a significant leap forward in 3D content creation, reducing processing time from hours to seconds.
What is Bolt3D AI?
Bolt3D is an advanced AI system that converts 2D photos into fully rendered 3D scenes in approximately 6.25 seconds using an Nvidia H100 GPU.
⚡️ Introducing Bolt3D ⚡️
— Stan Szymanowicz (@StanSzymanowicz) March 19, 2025
Bolt3D generates interactive 3D scenes in less than 7 seconds on a single GPU from one or more images.
It features a latent diffusion model that *directly* generates 3D Gaussians of seen and unseen regions, without any test time optimization.
🧵👇 (1/9) pic.twitter.com/9vTv7RaGI0
It can create detailed three-dimensional environments from photos. Intresting part is that completely unobserved scene regions get generated by AI.
How Bolt3D Works
The system operates through a two-step process:
- First, it analyzes each pixel to determine its proper position in 3D space and its color
- Then, a second model calculates transparency levels and spatial extension
Bolt3D utilizes “Gaussian splatting” to organize data, arranging the 3D scene using three-dimensional Gaussian functions on 2D grids.
Each function tracks essential information including position, color, transparency, and spatial data. This approach allows viewers to explore the scene from any angle in real-time.
To keep file sizes manageable, the system intelligently removes transparent areas and compresses the remaining data efficiently.
Features of Bolt3D
- Speed: Generates complete 3D scenes in just 6.25 seconds
- Realistic Hidden Content: Unlike competitors, Bolt3D doesn’t just blur unseen areas but generates realistic content for parts of scenes it can’t directly see
- Real-Time Viewing: Users can explore the generated scenes from any angle
- Efficient Storage: Smart compression techniques keep file sizes manageable
- Comprehensive Scene Creation: Works with entire environments, not just individual objects
Get More information about Bolt3D
Advantages Over Competitors
Tests show Bolt3D significantly outperforms existing fast methods like Flash3D and DepthSplat.
While these systems can only blur areas they can’t see, Bolt3D actually generates realistic content for hidden parts of scenes, creating more complete and immersive 3D environments.
Training and Development
Bolt3D was trained on approximately 300,000 3D scenes, using a combination of:
- Photo-based reconstructions
- Computer-generated models
This extensive training helps the system make educated guesses about unseen parts of scenes, creating more complete 3D environments.
Current Limitations
Despite its impressive capabilities, Bolt3D has some limitations:
- Struggles with very fine details (less than eight pixels wide)
- Has difficulty with transparent materials like glass
- Doesn’t handle highly reflective surfaces well
- Results depend on photo quality and scene size requirements
Conclusion
Google’s Bolt3D represents a significant advancement in the field of 3D content creation, dramatically reducing processing time while maintaining impressive quality.
Though some limitations exist, this technology shows enormous potential for transforming how we create and interact with digital 3D environments.