DeepMind Veterans Challenge Asia's AI Video Generation Market
Two former DeepMind researchers have launched Haiper, an AI video generation platform that's positioning itself as a serious competitor in Asia's rapidly expanding creative technology sector. Founded by Yishu Miao and Ziyu Wang, the London-based startup has raised $13.8 million in seed funding to tackle the uncanny valley problem that plagues current AI video tools.
The timing couldn't be better. Asia's appetite for AI-generated content is surging, with creators across the region embracing tools that can transform text prompts into professional-quality video content. Haiper's approach differs from competitors by prioritising physical accuracy and natural human movement over flashy effects.
Funding Fuels Asian Market Ambitions
Octopus Ventures led Haiper's $13.8 million seed round, with participation from 5Y Capital. This follows a $5.4 million pre-seed investment backed by notable angels including Phil Blunsom and Nando de Freitas, bringing total funding to over $19 million.
The substantial war chest positions Haiper to compete directly with established players like Runwayโฆ and emerging Chinese competitors. The company has already begun commercial collaborations with JD.com, exploring enterprise applications across Asia's e-commerce landscape.
"We're focusing on fundamental issues like the appearance of AI-generated humans and natural phenomena. Building a strong video-generation model is crucial to stand out in the next three years," said Rebecca Hunt, partner at Octopus Ventures.
By The Numbers
- Global AI video generator market projected to reach $21.6 billion by 2034, up from $1.2 billion in 2025
- India's short-form video consumption surged 45% in early 2025, with 72% of Gen Z creators using AI tools
- 30% of digital video advertisements used generative AIโฆ in 2024, rising to 39% by 2026
- Haiper's Pro plan costs $24/month, offering professional-grade features for content creators
- Chinese competitor Kling AI has generated over 10 million videos since launch
Free-to-Use Strategy Targets Asian Creators
Haiper's freemium model resonates particularly well with Asia's cost-conscious creative community. Users can generate short videos through text prompts, animate static images, and repaint videos in different styles without upfront costs. The platform's mobile-optimised interface caters to Asia's smartphone-first content creation culture.
The company has strategically partnered with commercial entities while maintaining free access to core features. This approach builds community engagement and allows creators to experiment before committing to paid tiers. For those exploring the broader landscape of AI video tools that are reshaping Asian filmmaking, Haiper represents a compelling new option.
"For me, HeyGen became a go-to when I needed talking head videos or business content that look polished without filming, something Haiper AI doesn't prioritise as strongly. But Haiper AI has carved a niche for itself by focusing on crispness and physical accuracy," noted an industry reviewer analysing the platform's positioning.
Technical Edge in Realistic Content Generation
Haiper's founders bring deep expertise in machine learningโฆ and 3D reconstruction from their DeepMind tenure. This technical foundation shows in the platform's superior handling of human movement and natural phenomena compared to competitors.
The following comparison illustrates how Haiper positions against major competitors in the AI video generation space:
| Platform | Strength | Primary Market | Pricing Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haiper | Physical accuracy | Asia-Pacific creators | Freemium |
| Runway | Professional tools | Global enterprise | Subscription |
| Kling AI | Long-form videos | Chinese market | Credit-based |
| Sora | Narrative coherence | Content studios | Enterprise |
Key features that differentiate Haiper include:
- Advanced 3D reconstruction algorithms for realistic human movement and facial expressions
- Optimised rendering for mobile devices, crucial for Asia's smartphone-dominant market
- Collaborative tools designed for team-based content creation workflows
- APIโฆ access for developers building custom applications
- Multi-language support optimised for Asian markets including Mandarin, Japanese, and Hindi
Competing Against Tech Giants
The AI video generation market has become intensely competitive, with OpenAI's Sora, Google, NVIDIA-backed Runway, and Meta all vying for dominance. Asian competitors like Kuaishou's Kling and Tencent's HunyuanVideo add regional complexity to the landscape.
Haiper's strategy focuses on solving the uncanny valley problem that makes AI-generated humans appear unnatural. The company has been privately testing its closed API with select developers and considering open-sourcing models for diverse applications. This approach could accelerate adoption across Asia's developer-heavy technology ecosystemโฆ.
The rise of Asian AI music generation tools demonstrates the region's appetite for creative AI applications, suggesting strong potential for video generation platforms. Haiper's emphasis on community building and free access aligns well with Asian market preferences for accessible technology solutions.
How does Haiper differ from other AI video generators?
Haiper focuses specifically on solving the uncanny valley problem through advanced 3D reconstruction and machine learning techniques developed by former DeepMind researchers, prioritising natural human movement over flashy effects.
Is Haiper available for commercial use?
Yes, Haiper offers commercial licensing and has already partnered with companies like JD.com. The platform provides API access for developers and businesses looking to integrate AI video generation.
What are Haiper's pricing options?
Haiper operates on a freemium model with basic features available at no cost. The Explorer plan costs $8 monthly with 1,500 credits, while the Pro plan is $24 monthly for professional users.
Can Haiper generate long-form video content?
Currently, Haiper focuses on short-form video generation, though the platform continues expanding capabilities. Users can create multiple clips and stitch them together for longer content pieces.
How does Haiper perform compared to Chinese competitors like Kling?
While Kling generates longer videos up to two minutes, Haiper excels in realistic human movement and physical accuracy, particularly for product demonstrations and nature footage popular among Asian creators.
As AI video generation technology reshapes creative workflows across Asia, platforms like Haiper demonstrate how technical innovation can create new market opportunities. The convergence of accessibility, quality, and commercial viability positions these tools to transform everything from social media content creation to professional filmmaking.
The question remains whether Western startups can compete effectively against well-funded Asian competitors with deeper local market knowledge. Will Haiper's technical advantages and strategic partnerships be enough to capture significant market share? Drop your take in the comments below.
Latest Comments (6)
The focus on physical accuracy and natural human movement is smart. We see many AI videos in Vietnam struggle with this, making content look fake for e-commerce or local ads. If Haiper can fix uncanny valley, it will be very useful for us here, especially for small businesses needing good quality tools.
Haiper's emphasis on the "appearance of AI-generated humans" and "natural human movement" is an important technical pursuit. Yet, it's critical to consider the inherent biases that can arise from training data in achieving this. Research consistently shows how underrepresented groups can be inaccurately or stereotypically depicted. This necessitates rigorous auditing of training sets to ensure equitable and diverse representation across human characteristics.
The focus on uncanny valley is good for Haiper. In logistics, especially for things like automated warehouses or last-mile delivery simulations, realistic human movement can make a big difference in how usable the AI-generated video is for training or planning. We've seen similar issues trying to model human interaction with robotics here in Thailand.
Wow, $13.8M is a solid start for Haiper. I'm keen to see if their free video generation can really help small businesses in places like Manila tell their stories without huge ad budgets.
the free tier for Haiper is smart. from my experience at Tokopedia, giving users a taste of the tech, especially for something visual like video, really drives engagement. getting people hooked first before talking about subscriptions is always the move.
It's interesting how Haiper is looking at commercial collaborations already, like with JD.com. For us in logistics here in Bangkok, the ability to quickly generate marketing videos for new routes or even training simulations could be huge. Free options are good for testing, but I wonder what their enterprise solution will look like for things like consistent branding.
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