Generative video outfit Vidu has unveiled two major strategic moves designed to transform creative production: a landmark intellectual property deal with the epic 1999 “Journey to the West” anime and a partnership with Honor to integrate advanced image-to-video AI technology into the Honor 400 Series smartphones.
The initiatives position Vidu’s parent company ShengShu Technology at the forefront of what the company calls the “smartphone-studio era,” where consumer devices become AI-powered creative hubs capable of professional-grade content generation.
A cornerstone of Chinese literature, “Journey to the West” follows the adventures of the mischievous Monkey King, Sun Wukong, as he escorts the Buddhist monk Tang Sanzang on a perilous pilgrimage to India, battling demons and seeking enlightenment along the way.
Unveiled at Vidu’s Tokyo Global Talents Meetup, the “Journey to the West” partnership allows users to reimagine themselves as the legendary Monkey King character, whose influence spans from traditional opera to “Dragon Ball Z” and 2024’s “Black Myth: Wukong.”
Rolling out over the coming months, the feature enables users to upload a photo and have Vidu apply the distinct aesthetic of the 1999 “Journey to the West” anime art style to their likeness. Users can then select from curated plotline templates to create 16-second personalized video segments, complete with generated voiceovers and background music.
“For the first time, generative AI isn’t just powering creativity behind the scenes, but it’s becoming a vehicle for ownership, worldbuilding, and reimagining beloved stories,” said Luo Yihang, CEO at ShengShu Technology. “Vidu is building for creative co-ownership through strategic partnerships or even future acquisitions, which can help shape the next generation of cultural IP.”
The Honor 400 Series, which launched May 28, now features Vidu’s multimodal image-to-video AI technology, allowing users to transform static images into cinematic videos directly on their phones. The integration represents a breakthrough in real-time, mobile-optimized processing that overcomes traditional computational limitations on smartphones.
“In an AI landscape dominated by giants, our partnership with Honor validates a core belief: true innovation thrives,” Luo said. “Vidu’s mobile-optimized architecture overcoming historical bottlenecks to deliver cinematic video generation on consumer devices, transforms smartphones from passive tools into proactive creative partners.”
The collaboration marks a significant shift from viewing technology as merely a “tool” to embracing it as an “intelligent life companion,” according to the companies.
The announcements follow Vidu’s recent launch of its Q1 model, featuring First-to-Last Frame technology for seamless transitions between realistic and animated sequences, plus industry-first AI sound effects delivering 48 kHz audio. The company has also partnered with Lenovo to deploy its models across hardware platforms and secured a content deal with Aura Prods for an AI animated series.
Independent animator Rou Shu Te Xiao’s “Observer Paradox,” created with Vidu, has garnered over 3 million views.
Founded in March 2023, ShengShu Technology specializes in multimodal large language models and has reached users in more than 200 countries across entertainment, advertising, film, animation and cultural tourism sectors.
An animated film trilogy based on “Journey to the West” is in the works at Stars Collective.
variety.com
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