First of all, I'm sorry but the calvary isn't coming. The law will not swoop in and magically stop a company in China or millions who run open-source models locally. AI is here. You're allowed to hate it, but if this is your career you need to pay attention.
Yes, 3D is still relevant. There are more images and videos being created today than ever before - and almost nobody has the control they want. This is your opportunity. If you can create a better result with good old fashioned 3D, you have a skill that's even more valuable due to higher demand.
But you need try ALL the AI tools. Only then will you know when you could use it in your workflow. An artist with their head in the sand will spend 3 hours prototyping a texture sheet in Photoshop. An artist who dabbles in AI will know Nano Banana can do that in seconds. Guess who is more likely to have a job in coming years?
Develop good taste. Without taste, AI generations are like elevator music. Middle of the road, inoffensive, and forgettable. You likely started 3D because you were passionate about a particular movie or game. Lean into that. Keep a folder of inspiration and references as your north star.
Learn design and storytelling. As technical hurdles fall, design and storytelling will become more valuable. Anyone can prompt a sci-fi crate model. But if you know about big, medium and small shapes, and why form follows function, you'll make a better result. FZD School is a good place to start.
What other advice would you give to 3D artists? Hit reply and I'll read it.
Thanks to everyone who responded last week. There was too many to reply to everyone, but I read them all.
