Updated: September 3, 2026 · Docs · Clothoff AI Editorial Team
What is Hailuo?
MiniMax's video series moved from a closed API to an open-weight release in 2026 — with a community license that keeps use restrictions attached.
Hailuo is a video generation model series developed by MiniMax, a Shanghai-based AI company, and served through the Hailuo AI app and the MiniMax API; Hailuo 02 launched on Jun 18, 2025, Hailuo 2.3 on Oct 28, 2025, and the open-weight successor MiniMax H3 was published on Hugging Face on Jul 31, 2026 under the MiniMax H3 Community License.
| Version | Date | Developer | License / Access | Filters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hailuo 02 | Jun 18, 2025 | MiniMax | Closed; MiniMax API and Hailuo AI app | Platform moderation; rules not stated on the release note |
| Hailuo 2.3 and 2.3 Fast | Oct 28, 2025 | MiniMax | Closed; API, website, mobile app | Platform moderation; rules not stated |
| MiniMax H3 | Jul 31, 2026 | MiniMax | Open weights on Hugging Face under the MiniMax H3 Community License; also API and app | Built-in guardrails noted in the model card; license use restrictions apply |
MiniMax markets the app as Hailuo AI and the 2026 open model as MiniMax H3; both names refer to the same product line.
Which Hailuo versions exist?
MiniMax launched Hailuo 02 on Jun 18, 2025 as a closed API model with 1080p output, followed by Hailuo 2.3 and Hailuo 2.3 Fast on Oct 28, 2025, positioned around motion realism and stylized animation. Both are reachable through the MiniMax developer platform and the Hailuo AI app.
On Jul 31, 2026 MiniMax published MiniMax H3, an open-weight video model, on Hugging Face and announced it on its blog. It is the first release in the line that can be downloaded and run outside MiniMax infrastructure, subject to the MiniMax H3 Community License.
Does Hailuo allow NSFW output?
The closed versions run behind MiniMax moderation, and the release notes we read on Sep 3, 2026 do not publish a standalone NSFW clause; platform terms govern what the API and app accept. For the open MiniMax H3 the picture is different: the weights can be run locally, so technical filtering depends on the operator.
The model card states that H3 ships with guardrails and that these do not relieve licensees of their obligations under the community license, including lawful use and use restrictions. A locally hosted H3 that removes those guardrails therefore breaches the license as well as any applicable law on non-consensual intimate imagery.
“These guardrails do not affect the Licensee's obligations under the MiniMax H3 Community License, especially those relating to lawful use and use restrictions.”
— MiniMax H3 model card on Hugging Face, accessed Sep 3, 2026
How is Hailuo used in tools we review?
No tool in our rankings names Hailuo or MiniMax H3 as a backbone. With an open release only weeks old at test time, third-party services may experiment with H3, but any such use carries the license's use restrictions into the service, a point we check under the privacy axis of how we rate.
Readers comparing video-capable services should start with the Wavespeed review, the one API-oriented tool we tested, and the video hub. Neither discloses which model family generates its clips.
What does the MiniMax H3 Community License permit?
The license text on Hugging Face sets the permitted uses, the use restrictions and a lawful-use clause; the model card refers licensees to it for commercial terms. It is not an OSI-approved open source license, so open weights here means downloadable, not unrestricted.
For image-to-video use with a real person's photo, the license restrictions run alongside criminal and civil law; consent is the operative requirement in either frame. See LoRA for how fine-tuning inherits these terms.
Consent note: tools in our rankings are documented for use only with photos of yourself or consenting adults 18+. See Responsible AI; if an image of you was misused, report NCII.
Sources
- Hugging Face — MiniMaxAI/MiniMax-H3 model card — MiniMax H3 Community License; guardrails clause, accessed Sep 3, 2026.
- MiniMax blog — MiniMax H3 — open release Jul 31, 2026, accessed Sep 3, 2026.
- MiniMax newsroom — Hailuo 2.3 — Oct 28, 2025 announcement, accessed Sep 3, 2026.
- MiniMax platform — model release notes — Hailuo 02 on Jun 18, 2025, accessed Sep 3, 2026.
- Hailuo AI — official product site — consumer app, accessed Sep 3, 2026.
Reference entry by the Clothoff AI Editorial Team; not legal advice. The access date marks the last verification.
Frequently asked questions about Hailuo
Is Hailuo open source?
Partly. Hailuo 02 and Hailuo 2.3 are closed models served through the MiniMax API and the Hailuo AI app. The successor MiniMax H3, released on Jul 31, 2026, is downloadable from Hugging Face under the MiniMax H3 Community License, which permits use and modification but attaches use restrictions.
When were Hailuo 02 and Hailuo 2.3 released?
MiniMax's platform release notes list Hailuo 02 on Jun 18, 2025, and the company's newsroom announced Hailuo 2.3 together with Hailuo 2.3 Fast on Oct 28, 2025. The open-weight MiniMax H3 followed on Jul 31, 2026, according to the Hugging Face model card and the MiniMax blog post.
Does MiniMax H3 have built-in safety filters?
The model card says H3 ships with guardrails, without specifying their mechanism, and stresses that they do not change the licensee's obligations. Because the weights run locally, an operator could alter or remove those guardrails, which the license treats as a breach alongside any applicable law.
Can Hailuo animate a photo of a real person?
Image-to-video is a supported mode across the line, so yes technically. Legally, animating an identifiable person into intimate content without documented consent is unlawful in the United States, the EU and elsewhere, and the H3 license adds a contractual lawful-use duty on top of that.
What is the difference between Hailuo and MiniMax H3?
Hailuo is the product name MiniMax uses for its closed video models and the Hailuo AI app. MiniMax H3 is the 2026 open-weight model in the same line; the app continues under the Hailuo name while developers can download H3 weights or call them through the MiniMax API.
Do the tools we review run on Hailuo?
No reviewed tool names Hailuo or MiniMax H3 publicly. Our rankings do not depend on backbone claims; scores rest on tested behavior such as upload handling, retention, deletion and moderation. If a service adopts H3, the license's use restrictions would become part of what we assess.