It is used to create assets for interactive 3D applications (including video games), animated films, TV series, and visual effects.

[7] Walt Disney Feature Animation collaborated closely with Maya's development during its production of Dinosaur.

This was a particular influence in the open architecture of Maya, and partly responsible for its popularity in the animation industry.

[18] Users define a virtual workspace (scene) to implement and edit media of a particular project.

As a result, the visual representation of a scene is based entirely on a network of interconnecting nodes, depending on each other's information.

[19] In 2003, when Alias|Wavefront received an Academy Award for Technical Achievement, it was noted to be used in films such as The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Spider-Man, Ice Age, and Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, all of which were released in 2002.

[20] In 2005, while working for Alias|Wavefront, Jos Stam shared an Academy Award for Technical Achievement with Edwin Catmull and Tony DeRose for their invention and application of subdivision surfaces.

[23] On February 8, 2008, Duncan Brinsmead, Jos Stam, Julia Pakalns and Martin Werner received an Academy Award for Technical Achievement for the design and implementation of the Maya Fluid Effects system.