AOUSD
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The Alliance for OpenUSD (AOUSD) is the open, non-profit consortium driving the OpenUSD (Universal Scene Description) standard. As Gaussian Splatting becomes a first-class 3D primitive, AOUSD has ratified the ParticleField3DGaussianSplat schema in OpenUSD v26.03, giving splats native representation inside USD scenes.
Location
San Francisco, CA (Joint Development Foundation)
Size
Hosted by the Linux Foundation
Total raised
Hiring?
Platform
Specification body. OpenUSD is a cross platform C++ library with Python bindings, building on Linux, macOS and Windows
GPU
None published. AOUSD publishes a specification rather than software. The reference Gaussian splat renderer shipped with OpenUSD 26.03 under hdParticleField runs through Hydra, so the requirement is whatever the host renderer imposes
Pricing
Free. The specification is public and OpenUSD is a free download. AOUSD membership is paid and tiered
License
Apache 2.0 with modifications, as OpenUSD is released by Pixar
Best for
Representing Gaussian splats natively inside a USD scene graph
Updated
July 2026
AOUSD was announced on August 1, 2023, by founding members Pixar, Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, and NVIDIA in cooperation with the Joint Development Foundation (a Linux Foundation project). General members include Cesium, Epic Games, Foundry, Hexagon, IKEA, SideFX, and Unity.
In 2026, AOUSD introduced the UsdVolParticleField3DGaussianSplat schema in OpenUSD v26.03, making Gaussian Splatting a native USD primitive. The schema underpins Plattipus' open-source houdini-gsplat Solaris integration and similar implementations across major DCCs. AOUSD's work parallels Khronos' glTF efforts, with the two standards bodies coordinating on Gaussian Splatting interchange across their respective ecosystems.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AOUSD?
AOUSD is the Alliance for OpenUSD, the non-profit consortium that governs the OpenUSD standard. It was announced on August 1, 2023 by Pixar, Adobe, Apple, Autodesk and NVIDIA in cooperation with the Joint Development Foundation, a Linux Foundation project.
Does OpenUSD support Gaussian splatting?
OpenUSD supports Gaussian splatting natively as of the 26.03 release in March 2026, through the UsdVolParticleField schema family and its UsdVolParticleField3DGaussianSplat implementation. The proposal came through the AOUSD Emerging Geometry Interest Group.
How does AOUSD's work relate to the Khronos Group's glTF extension?
AOUSD governs how Gaussian splats are described inside USD scenes, while Khronos governs how they travel through glTF as KHR_gaussian_splatting. The two bodies coordinate on Gaussian splatting interchange across their respective ecosystems rather than competing.
Who are AOUSD's members?
AOUSD's founding members are Pixar, Adobe, Apple, Autodesk and NVIDIA. General members include Cesium, Epic Games, Foundry, Hexagon, IKEA, SideFX and Unity.
