YouTube is integrating GenAI into its Shorts creation hub, introducing photo-to-video generation and AI-powered video effects. These tools, powered by the company’s Veo 2 model, also incorporate YouTube’s new AI Playground for content generation.
Google is deploying new GenAI creation tools for YouTube Shorts users, enhancing utility for captured content. These features reside within the Shorts creation hub, enabling content generation from still photos, existing videos, and drawings.
YouTube announced three primary GenAI functions for Shorts creators. The first is a photo-to-video feature, which uses a single image to generate a short clip based on a user suggestion. The exact length limit for these generated clips has not been specified. Shorts is also expanding its in-app effects. Within the AI section, two new effects are selectable before recording. The “underwater effect” generates frames between organically captured ones, depicting the subject as if in water. Additionally, the effects section allows users to transform doodles into generated colorful images.
This GenAI update integrates Google’s AI Playground with YouTube Shorts. The AI Playground focuses on content generation, allowing users to create videos and music from prompts, similar to other LLM models. This generated content can then be posted to YouTube Shorts. YouTube states that generated content will be clearly labeled to indicate AI use.
These AI tools for Shorts are powered by Veo 2, Google’s second-best generation model, despite earlier indications that integrations would utilize Veo 3. YouTube noted these tools would operate on Veo 3 in the future, without providing a specific timeframe.
YouTube also confirmed these features are rolling out now and over the next few weeks in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
