Luma AI Launches Ray3 Modify: A Model for Precise Video Editing with Preserved Actor Performance
Startup Luma AI, known for its generative video and 3D developments powered by artificial intelligence, has introduced the innovative Ray3 Modify model. This tool ushers in a new era of post-production, enabling deep modification of already filmed video materials while preserving the uniqueness and emotion of the actor’s performance.
The Core Technology: Control and Preservation
Ray3 Modify addresses one of the main challenges of AI video—the loss of the “soul” of a performance during editing. The model analyzes and meticulously preserves not only external movements but also subtle nuances: the actor’s pacing, gaze direction, emotional delivery, and facial expressions. This allows creative studios to use live actors as a foundation and then, with the help of AI, transport them into any worlds and scenarios.
Key Capabilities of the Model:
- Reference-Based Transformation: A user can upload an image of a character (e.g., from a comic, game, or concept art), and the model will “apply” this likeness to the actor in the source video, preserving their performance. This also works for changing costumes, hairstyles, or makeup throughout the clip.
- Directed Transition Generation: By specifying start and end frames, users can create a smooth and logical transition scene guided by AI. This is a powerful tool for controlling scene dynamics, creating special effects, or “reshooting” specific moments without actual studio work.
- Complete Creative Freedom: As stated by Luma AI’s co-founder and CEO, Amit Jain, the technology allows you to “shoot performances on camera and then immediately change them to take place in any imaginable location.” This reduces the cost and time of physical filming, expanding the boundaries of the creative process.
Context and Ambitions
The new model is now available within the Dream Machine platform, where Luma competes with giants like Runway and Kling. Its release follows a major $900 million funding round in November 2025, led by the Saudi AI company Humain (owned by the Public Investment Fund). Investors also include a16z, Amplify Partners, and Matrix Partners.
A Crucial Point: These investments are not just funding. Luma AI and Humain announced plans to jointly build a powerful 2 GW AI cluster in Saudi Arabia. This indicates the strategic scale of the project and the ambition to create not just a product, but fundamental infrastructure for future AI developments.
Why This Matters
Ray3 Modify is a step from “simple” video generation to its intelligent and controlled transformation. The technology blurs the line between traditional filming and digital generation, offering a hybrid workflow for the film, advertising, and gaming industries. It preserves the value of human acting but removes constraints related to budget, locations, and physical possibilities, paving the way for bolder and larger-scale creative projects.