Luc Schurgers, founding father of REPLIKANT, is rethinking what it means to animate within the age of AI. On this interview, he explains why conventional workflows fall quick, how REPLIKANT bridges live-action spontaneity with 3D management, and the place the moral strains are drawn in a world of artificial media. From the dangers of “AI slop” to the promise of scalable creativity, Luc presents a grounded perspective on the place storytelling is headed—and why it nonetheless wants a human core.
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Your journey in digital innovation spans viral advertising, interactive campaigns, and now AI-powered 3D animation. What pivotal second or challenge impressed you to launch REPLIKANT, and the way does it tackle a niche within the {industry}?
There wasn’t a single “aha” second, however moderately a fruits of frustrations and insights gained over years of engaged on digital and interactive campaigns. I used to be at all times drawn to the vitality of engaged on set—collaborating with actors, set designers, and cinematographers—however equally captivated by the limitless artistic potential of animation. The issue was, conventional animation pipelines are gradual, technical, and inflexible, making speedy ideation or fast artistic adjustments practically unattainable. With REPLIKANT, I needed to merge the spontaneity and inventive freedom of live-action with the pliability of AI-driven 3D animation. Our aim was to construct a instrument I needed existed: one thing that lowered the technical limitations to entry and made real-time, high-quality animated content material creation quick, intuitive, and scalable, particularly for as we speak’s demand for high-volume, low-cost content material.
AI-driven 3D character creation and animation have the potential to democratize digital storytelling. What are the largest technical and inventive challenges you’ve needed to overcome to make this expertise accessible to each professionals and newcomers?
The most important problem has been abstracting away the deep technical complexity of 3D and real-time engines like Unreal, which historically require years of specialised coaching. Creating high-quality animated content material often calls for not solely an understanding of recreation engines but additionally proficiency in 3D modeling, rigging, lighting, and industry-specific workflows. With REPLIKANT, our aim was to simplify this with out compromising artistic management. That meant standardizing belongings, optimizing efficiency throughout totally different {hardware}, and constructing an intuitive interface that works in “easy mode” for newcomers whereas providing a seamless transition to extra superior options for professionals. We’ve made it so customers can progressively expose extra controls as they develop, aligning with {industry} requirements in areas like lighting and timelines. It’s about empowering storytellers at any ability degree to convey their concepts to life—quick, fantastically, and with no need to be technical consultants.
REPLIKANT operates on the intersection of AI, machine studying, and real-time animation. How do you stability automation with the artistic enter that human artists convey to digital manufacturing?
Placing that stability is core to REPLIKANT’s philosophy—we see AI as a instrument to speed up creativity, not exchange it. In contrast to totally generative platforms, we intentionally keep away from automating every thing. Prompting alone doesn’t really feel creatively fulfilling to most artists—it’s not the identical as crafting one thing your self. Our precept is straightforward: if a person can’t modify or management a component, it doesn’t belong within the workflow. That’s why REPLIKANT provides creators the flexibility to dive deep when they need—setting cameras, adjusting lighting, refining animation—whereas additionally providing AI-assisted shortcuts to hurry issues up when wanted. We’ve additionally designed the instrument to be welcoming to artists who might not wish to use AI in any respect. For many who do, we’re including a generative render layer to boost visible high quality with out compromising management. In the end, this can be a instrument for individuals who take pleasure in being a part of the artistic course of and wish to continue to learn, not a plug-and-play system for immediate outcomes. Creativity deserves greater than that.
As AI-generated content material turns into extra lifelike, moral issues come up, significantly relating to deepfakes and artificial media. How do you make sure that REPLIKANT’s expertise is used responsibly?
We’ve considered this quite a bit, and whereas it’s tough to implement moral use purely on the product degree, we’ve inbuilt safeguards the place attainable, like content material filters and restrictions on automated outputs. That stated, we don’t imagine in policing particular person creativity, particularly when customers are constructing content material manually. REPLIKANT isn’t constructed for hyper-realistic impersonation or deepfakes; our strategy focuses on stylized, expressive 3D animation moderately than photorealism. Even with options like avatar creation or generative rendering, the outputs aren’t convincing sufficient to idiot somebody into believing they’re actual folks. Our precedence is artistic management, not cloning identities. Frankly, I discover the deepfake pattern alarming, and I imagine extra duty lies with distribution platforms to implement stricter content material moderation. It’s troubling that pretend celeb endorsements and artificial scams are nonetheless so widespread. Whereas we keep vigilant, REPLIKANT is designed to empower artists, not deceive audiences.
You’ve led award-winning tasks throughout industries, from gaming to promoting. How do you see AI reshaping storytelling in media and leisure over the following 5 years?
I’m truthfully fairly conflicted. On one hand, I fear a few future saturated with by-product, AI-generated content material—what some name “AI slop”—that appears polished however lacks soul. I’ve spent years in manufacturing environments the place the human factor—the late nights, the banter on set, the imperfections—is what made the work particular. I worry that may disappear as generative fashions educated on present media flood the panorama with recycled narratives, making it more durable for really unique or significant tales to interrupt by way of. That stated, there’s actual promise in AI reducing limitations to entry. As somebody who’s lengthy needed to make a movie however is aware of how inaccessible that course of could be, I’m excited by the concept that AI would possibly empower storytellers with unconventional concepts, particularly people who don’t match neatly into industrial molds. In gaming, although, I’m skeptical. Recreation design isn’t nearly belongings—it’s about mechanics, programs, and participant expertise. AI hasn’t proven it will probably meaningfully innovate there but. Promoting, then again, is overdue for disruption. It’s a wasteful {industry} in some ways, and AI will automate a lot of the execution. However paradoxically, the extra strategic and interpersonal features—shopper administration, model positioning—will develop into much more essential. And possibly the overload of generic content material will pressure us to reset, away from algorithmic sameness and again towards the extra idiosyncratic, pre-social media web that fostered actual creativity.
Conversational AI and digital companions are gaining traction in each enterprise and leisure. What function do you see them enjoying sooner or later, and the way is REPLIKANT contributing to their evolution?
Completely—this is likely one of the most enjoyable and in addition most delicate areas in AI. At REPLIKANT, we’ve spent the previous 12 months and a half reorienting our platform to allow really dynamic, real-time conversational brokers that go far past scripted, robotic exchanges. Our tech helps the creation of clever, animated characters that may operate as every thing from journey brokers to DJs to movie critics—all inside immersive, media-rich environments. That opens up highly effective use circumstances in training and leisure.
However with that energy comes threat. We’re very conscious of the emotional weight these interactions can carry. There have already been troubling reviews of chatbots negatively influencing customers, even pushing weak people towards dangerous conduct. That’s why we’ve chosen to steer away from constructing romantic or emotionally dependent AI companions. Whereas customers can technically create what they need, we focus our platform’s default expertise on training and leisure areas the place these brokers can safely and meaningfully improve human studying and creativity.
We additionally reject the “move fast and break things” ethos relating to emotionally clever AI. These programs work together with folks at a deeply human degree, and we imagine they need to be rolled out slowly, examined totally, and improved iteratively. Sadly, a lot of the {industry} continues to be pushed by scale and short-term metrics, and I fear we’re repeating the identical errors made with social media—solely sooner and with larger stakes.
That stated, when developed responsibly, the potential is immense. One college, for example, is utilizing REPLIKANT to construct curriculum-aligned AI tutors that mix personalised instruction with interactive visuals, sounds, and video. That form of tailor-made, participating studying expertise is strictly the form of future we wish to construct, simply not at the price of folks’s emotional well-being
Many AI-driven animation instruments nonetheless require a studying curve. What methods have you ever carried out at REPLIKANT to make sure that even non-technical creators can intuitively convey their concepts to life?
That’s one thing we thought deeply about from day one. Most instruments both go too easy, sacrificing flexibility, or too complicated, intimidating much less technical customers. At REPLIKANT, we took the alternative route from most startups: we constructed the superior model first. We designed a strong, highly effective core that might fulfill technical customers and scale throughout use circumstances. As soon as that was in place, we created simplified layers on prime of it—so newcomers can get began with simply 5 intuitive steps, whereas extra superior creators can dive deeper once they’re prepared.
This dual-mode strategy powers each our REPLIKANT Editor and REPLIKANT Chat. Within the Editor, for instance, you can begin in “Easy Story Mode,” which will get you to publishable content material with virtually no effort. However underneath the hood, every thing you do is mirrored in a full-featured editor. That permits customers to be taught progressively, construct confidence, and finally create extra refined experiences—all throughout the identical code base and UI framework.
It’s not the quickest or least expensive approach to construct a product, particularly in a startup surroundings. But it surely provides us long-term stability and adaptability. REPLIKANT Chat, for example, was constructed off the identical basis because the Editor, simply with a special interface. That modularity means we are able to now spin up new functions—whether or not for video games, interactive storytelling, or character-driven utilities—with out rebuilding from scratch.
One other large upside is user-generated content material. As a result of we’ve constructed an editor that’s highly effective however accessible, creators can construct content material as soon as and push it throughout totally different REPLIKANT functions. That generates a flywheel impact: folks expertise one thing cool, notice they will make it themselves, and get drawn deeper into the artistic course of.
In the end, our aim is to maneuver past the present paradigm of prompt-driven content material. I’d hate to see a future the place creativity will get lowered to typing prompts into containers. Animation and storytelling must be joyful, immersive, and hands-on. Our instruments goal to convey that zeal and satisfaction again—even for individuals who’ve by no means touched 3D software program or written code.
With the rise of real-time animation and efficiency seize, do you suppose conventional animation workflows will develop into out of date, or will they evolve alongside AI-powered options?
I don’t suppose conventional animation will ever develop into out of date—it’s an artwork kind, and one which requires deep information of motion, timing, and emotional nuance. What we’re prone to see is evolution, not substitute. Instruments like efficiency seize and AI-assisted animation can maintain probably the most labor-intensive or repetitive components of the method—clean-up, in-betweens, lip sync, and so forth., releasing up artists to deal with the expressive, artistic work that machines can’t replicate.
At REPLIKANT, for example, we haven’t carried out keyframe animation but, however we acknowledge its worth. There’s a singular artistic satisfaction in character posing, blocking, and refining movement that many animators take pleasure in. We wish to protect that and construct round it, not exchange it.
That stated, AI is clearly being educated on present kinds, particularly from studios like Disney and Pixar. That raises actual questions on how new animation languages and visible kinds will emerge if the instruments solely replicate what’s already been executed. Originality comes from human imaginative and prescient, from pushing in opposition to conference. So it’s essential that we don’t let automation flatten that variety of expression.
Efficiency seize is extremely highly effective for blocking out scenes, and whether or not you’re utilizing optical or inertial mocap or an AI-assisted instrument, it provides creators a quick, enjoyable approach to begin. However as soon as the bottom is there, artists nonetheless want full management to finesse, right, and add soul to the efficiency. AI ought to speed up the method, not take artistic company away.
That is particularly essential in as we speak’s fast-moving content material panorama. Not everybody has the posh of time or price range to craft each body by hand. So the query turns into: would you moderately have a restricted time and nonetheless get to make your challenge, or not make it in any respect? For many creators, the reply is: “I’ll take the time I can get and make something.” AI helps make that attainable—but it surely shouldn’t override the creator’s imaginative and prescient.
The danger is that we’ll see extra content material made purely for views or monetization, pushed by developments, not ardour. And whereas there are at all times going to be folks chasing virality, that form of work often doesn’t maintain up. Over time, audiences can really feel the distinction between content material made with care and content material made for clicks.
For me, that is private. I didn’t develop up in a household of filmmakers or go to elite colleges. However I had a pc early on, and I had a drive to make bizarre, expressive issues. That mix of creativity and expertise formed my path. And I really imagine: when you’re passionate in regards to the craft—whether or not that’s animation, storytelling, or real-time efficiency—there’s a future for you. The instruments are altering, however the coronary heart of the work stays the identical.
Your profession blends expertise, motion, and design seamlessly. Wanting again, what early experiences or influences formed your strategy to innovation and creativity?
For me, it began with tinkering. I bought my first laptop at 8—a 386 with dial-up—and nobody in my home knew learn how to use it, not even my dad and mom. They bought it as a result of it was seen because the “future,” but it surely was as much as me to determine it out. Again then, with out the web, it was a whole lot of trial and error—downloading video games off BBS programs, coping with gradual downloads, and troubleshooting when one thing didn’t work. My dad and mom at all times inspired me to make things better once I broke them, and that hands-on problem-solving mindset caught with me. I used to be additionally impressed by my mother’s creativity—she made artwork out of seashells, wooden, you title it. Then, my dad gave me the pc aspect of issues. But it surely wasn’t nearly tech. It was about getting curious, diving in, and determining how issues work. I believe that hands-on expertise, that publicity to creativity and expertise from a younger age, formed the best way I strategy innovation now.
In case you may create a digital model of your self utilizing REPLIKANT’s expertise, what would its goal be, and the way would it not symbolize your imaginative and prescient for the way forward for AI-driven creativity?
If I may create a digital model of myself utilizing REPLIKANT’s tech, I’d need it to be one thing distinctive and a bit on the market. I’ve at all times preferred bizarre issues, and that’s mirrored in my on-line persona, an area alien bounty hunter with a cowboy hat and reptilian pores and skin. I believe lots of people wish to be one thing totally different within the digital world, not simply clones of themselves. The web was once this nameless, artistic area, again after we had dial-up modems and chat rooms, and there was one thing magical about that freedom.
These days, I believe we’ve misplaced a whole lot of that individuality, particularly with how a lot private data we’re anticipated to place on the market. For me, the way forward for digital creativity is about having avatars that may change relying in your temper, your day, or your vibe. It’s not about creating an ideal AI-driven model of ourselves, however extra about embracing the liberty to be whoever you need at any given second. My area cowboy reptilian avatar captures that feeling of not being tied to anyone model of me, and I believe that’s the longer term I wish to see in AI-powered creativity—one thing enjoyable, distinctive, and ever-evolving.
