Luma AI launches Ray3, a reasoning video model

Background

Luma AI had built its Dream Machine video generator before Ray3 ^[1]. Ray3 was the company's next model in the same line, launched in Dream Machine and in Adobe's Firefly app ^[1].

What happened

On 18 September 2025 Luma AI launched Ray3 and described it as the world's first reasoning video model ^[1]. The company also said that Ray3 was the first model to generate high-fidelity 16-bit HDR video ^[1]. HDR, or high dynamic range, gives images more brightness range and detail than standard video. A 16-bit format stores more colour information per pixel than the common 8-bit format.

Key details

Ray3 offers native 1080p output, with upscaling to 4K, and a fast Draft Mode ^[1]. Draft Mode is meant for quick tests, so that users can try a prompt and see the result before making a full version.

Paid Firefly and Creative Cloud Pro customers received unlimited Ray3 generations for their first 14 days ^[1]. In Japan, Dentsu Digital was the only launch partner ^[1].

What HDR and 16-bit mean

Standard video stores brightness in a limited range, so very bright highlights and very dark shadows lose detail. HDR, or high dynamic range, keeps more of that range. A 16-bit format stores more steps of colour and brightness for each pixel than the common 8-bit format, which reduces banding in gradients. These details matter most in film and visual effects work, where editors adjust footage after it is made.

What Adobe Firefly is

Adobe Firefly is Adobe's family of generative AI tools for creative work. Placing Ray3 inside it meant that Adobe's users could try the model without leaving the software they already used ^[1].

Why it matters

The launch shows how a video model could reach users through a company's own product and through a major creative software suite at the same time. Its claims of reasoning and 16-bit HDR output are the company's own statements, and readers can compare them with later evaluations and versions of the model.