News date: September 9, 2026
Chaos has introduced image-based asset search and a beta image-to-3D generator in Cosmos. Its September 9 announcement describes two related workflows: finding visually similar library assets from a reference image, and generating a new mesh when a suitable asset is unavailable.
Search and generation serve different needs
Visual search accepts a reference image, with cropping and text refinement to narrow the results. The beta generator offers Tencent HY 3D and Microsoft TRELLIS.2 options. Settings include geometry resolution, output polygon count and texture resolution, with available controls depending on the model.
Chaos identifies the generated assets as usable with V-Ray, Corona, Vantage and Envision through Cosmos. Its documentation distinguishes generation resolution, which affects detail, from polygon count, which controls the exported mesh. Shape fidelity is explicitly marked experimental.
A useful order of operations for archviz
CG River's workflow take: first decide whether the brief requires an exact product or merely a visual category. An approved manufacturer's chair with precise dimensions needs a different review standard from an incidental decorative object in the background. A visual match should not be described to a client as the exact product unless that identity has been checked.
Use image search to explore existing assets before generating substitutes. For a generated object, inspect all sides, scale it against a known reference, and render it under the intended lighting. Look at thin supports, openings, underside details and contact shadows. These checks are especially important when the reference image reveals only one view.
Keep asset provenance with the scene
Record the reference source, generation settings and any manual repairs. Confirm that the reference may be uploaded to the service and that the resulting asset fits the project's usage requirements. For client-confidential product designs, review the service's data handling before submitting images.
The practical gain is a shorter route from a visual brief to a usable scene element. Measure that route end to end, including inspection and cleanup. A fast first preview is useful, but a dependable, properly documented asset is what makes the workflow repeatable.
Sources
Cover image: Chaos.
