Google Introduces AI-Powered Video Generation to YouTube Shorts and Google Photos

AI video is invading YouTube Shorts and Google Photos starting today

Google is following through on recent promises to add more generative AI features to its photo and video products. Over on YouTube, Google is rolling out the first wave of generative AI video for YouTube Shorts, but even if you're not a YouTuber, you'll be exposed to more AI videos soon. Google Photos, which is integrated with virtually every Android phone on the market, is also getting AI video-generation capabilities. In both cases, the features are currently based on the older Veo 2 model, not the more capable Veo 3 that has been meming across the Internet since it was announced at I/O in May. YouTube CEO Neal Mohan confirmed earlier this summer that the company planned to add generative AI to the creator tools for YouTube Shorts. There were already tools to generate backgrounds for videos, but the next phase will involve creating new video elements from a text prompt. Starting today, creators will be able to use a photo as the basis for a new generative AI video. YouTube also promises a collection of easily applied generative effects, which will be accessible from the Shorts camera. There's also a new AI playground hub that the company says will be home to all its AI tools, along with examples and suggested prompts to help people pump out AI content. So far, all the YouTube AI video features are running on the Veo 2 model. The plan is still to move to Veo 3 later this summer. The AI features in YouTube Shorts are limited to the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand for the time being, but it will expand to more countries later.

Google Photos adds AI features for 'remixing' photos in different styles, turning pics into videos | TechCrunch

Google Photos is getting major AI chops. On Wednesday, Google announced a handful of new features that will allow users to get more creative with their photo memories, including an option to turn photos into videos, and "remix" photos into different styles, like anime, comics, sketches or 3D animations. The app will also centralize access to its creative tools -- including both AI-powered and traditional tools -- in a new "Create" tab in the Photos app. The two newly launched features will be housed in this tab, alongside other tools that let you create collages, highlight videos, and other things. The update brings AI prowess to one of Google's most popular consumer-facing services: Google Photos today has over 1.5 billion users. That will put AI into more people's hands, including those who have not spent as much time experimenting with what AI can do. It also gives Google a large base to learn from as people try out the new features. The company noted these features are experimental, so it will ask users to leave a thumbs-up or thumbs-down on the AI-generated images and videos to provide feedback. That feedback will help Google to improve the product and overall experience, it says. With the new photo-to-video feature, similar to the offering already available in Gemini (and, as of today, YouTube), users will be able to make short videos from their own photos using Google's Veo 2 model. In past years, animating old family photos was a clever trick, driving downloads of apps like MyHeritage as people brought long-past relatives to life. Now, that ability is being commoditized with the use of AI. Once you've selected a photo, you can choose from one of two prompts -- "Subtle movements," or "I'm feeling lucky" -- to turn the photo into a six-second video clip. Photo to Video is rolling out from today to users in the U.S. on Android and iOS. Meanwhile, the new Remix feature, powered by Google's Imagen AI model, lets you pick any photo from your gallery, then transform it into a different style in just seconds. This feature will be available in the U.S. on Android and iOS in the next few weeks. Both features will include an invisible SynthID digital watermark on their outputs to identify them as being AI-generated. Google Photos already does this with other AI tools, like images edited using Reimagine, for example. Generated videos will also include a visual watermark, similar to those generated by Gemini. The Create tab will arrive in the U.S. in August. Google says it will update the tab over time, adding new tools and experiments, and refining existing options. The AI features were introduced alongside similar tools for YouTube Shorts, which is also now offering its own photo-to-video option as well as new AI effects, powered by Veo 2. (Shorts will get access to Veo 3 later this summer, Google said.)

YouTube Shorts is adding an image-to-video AI tool, new AI effects | TechCrunch

YouTube announced on Wednesday that it's giving Shorts creators access to new generative AI features, including an image-to-video AI tool and new AI effects. The image to video feature lets users turn a picture from their camera roll into a a six-second video. Users can choose from one of two prompts: "subtle movements" or "I'm feeling lucky." YouTube says the feature can be used to add movement to landscape photos, animate pictures of everyday photos, or bring group photos to life. In an example given by YouTube, the feature turns a static image of a pedestrian signal into a short video that slowly zooms into a dancing version of the walking man symbol. The feature works similarly to an offering already available in Gemini. Plus, it's similar to the 'Animate' tool in Meta's Edits app, which also uses AI to transform static images into videos. The new tool is rolling out over the next week in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. YouTube plans to bring it to more regions later this year. It's worth noting that Google Photos is also getting a similar image-to-video tool. As for the new AI effects, creators can use them to transform their doodles into artistic images and turn their selfies into videos where they're swimming underwater, twinning with someone, and more. Users can find these new effects by navigating to the "Effects" icon in the Shorts camera and then tapping "AI" to browse all of the generative effects. YouTube notes that the features announced today are powered by Veo 2, Google's AI model for video generation. YouTube says it uses SynthID watermarks and clear labels to indicate that these creations were generated with AI. Last month at Cannes Lions 2025, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan announced that Google's Veo 3 video generator, which can generate both video and audio, will be coming to Shorts later this summer. He also shared that Shorts are now averaging more than 200 billion daily views. YouTube also announced on Wednesday that AI playground is its new home for generative AI creation tools, inspirational examples, pre-filled prompts, and more. Creators can find AI playground by tapping the create button and then the sparkle icon in the top right corner. It's available now for everyone in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Google is bringing its AI-powered photo-to-video capability to more apps

Jess Weatherbed is a news writer focused on creative industries, computing, and internet culture. Jess started her career at TechRadar, covering news and hardware reviews. Google is adding new AI-powered features to Google Photos and YouTube Shorts that allow users to transform their photos into videos. The tools are similar to the Veo 3-powered photo-to-video capabilities that were added to Google's Gemini app earlier this month, only they're powered by Google's older Veo 2 video model instead and have more limitations. The photo-to-video AI generation in Google Photos is restricted to making six-second clips, while the YouTube Shorts version allows users to select what clip length to generate. Unlike in Gemini or using Veo 2 itself, however, neither tool allows users to enter their own prompt descriptions to guide the results. Instead, users can only select from a list of provided prompts, such as "Subtle movements" or "I'm feeling lucky" in Google Photos. The feature is starting to roll out today in the US for Google Photos on Android and iOS devices, and over the next week for YouTube Shorts users in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. A Remix tool for Google Photos will also be available to Android and iOS users in the US in the next few weeks. This tool transforms photos into a different style, including anime, comics, sketches, and 3D animation. The photo-to-video and Remix tools will be housed under a new Create tab in the Photos app that's launching in the US next month. The Create tab places the tools alongside other creative features like collages, highlight video, and more, so that they're all in one place and easier to find. Google warns users that the Remix and photo-to-video features are "experimental" and may produce inaccurate results. You can thumbs up or thumbs down on generated images and videos to provide feedback that Google can use to improve the tools going forward. All videos and photos generated will include Google's invisible SynthID digital watermark. Videos generated in Photos will also carry a visible watermark that makes them easier to identify as AI-generated at a glance. The YouTube Shorts camera is also getting new generative AI effects that can create images based on doodles and apply video effects to selfies that duplicate the user or make them appear like they're swimming underwater. YouTube is making these effects and other generative AI tools easier for Shorts users to find with a new AI Playground hub, which users can access by tapping the sparkle icon in the top right corner when creating a video. AI Playground is available now for Shorts users in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand "to start," according to Google. This update adds to the generative AI capabilities in Google Photos that were already miles ahead of anything that Apple provides in the iOS Photos app. The two companies have different approaches, however: while Google lets your imagination run wild (sometimes to concerning limits), Apple's Image Playground tool won't generate photorealistic images, in order to mitigate concerns over things like deepfakes and misinformation.

Google Photos is using AI to turn your photos into videos and remix them - try it for free

Have you ever wished you could bring your favorite pictures to life? New AI-powered features in Google Photos will let you. Also: How to turn off Gemini in your Gmail, Docs, Photos, and more - it's easy to opt out Earlier today, Google announced several new creative tools to "help bring your memories to life" -- including one that lets you take any picture saved in your gallery and turn it into a short video. You can choose to add "subtle movements" or pick "I'm feeling lucky" to animate your photo into a full six-second clip. Google added a similar photo-to-video capability to the Gemini app earlier this month (ZDNET Senior Contributing Writer Tiernan Ray said it was "disconcerting how well it works"). Also: 10 must-try Google Photos tips and tricks - including a new AI editor There are some big differences between this and the Gemini version, though. One is that this one runs on Google's older Veo 2 video model, while Gemini's runs on Veo 3; the other is that you don't get to type your own custom prompt in the Photos version. The feature is rolling out on Android and iOS. Also new is the ability to "remix" photos into new styles. With Remix, you can edit your photos into different looks like anime, comic, 3D animation, or sketch. With the tap of a button, you can give your photo a whole new feel that's ready to share on social. Also: This hidden Pixel camera setting makes my photos absolutely pop - here's how Google is calling both of these features experimental still and admits that some outputs probably won't be what you intended. To help improve things, you can use a thumbs up or thumbs down rating to give feedback after a creation. With the rise in AI video and photo creation tools, Google says it understands these tools must be used responsibly. Not only are measures in place to prevent misuse, but any remixed photo will include a digital SynthID watermark that's invisible to the naked eye (the same thing Google does for photos edited with Reimagine). Videos generated by the new Photos feature will have a visual watermark. Get the morning's top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.

Google Photos is using AI to turn your photos into videos and remix them - try now for free

Have you ever wished you could bring your favorite pictures to life? New AI-powered features in Google Photos will let you. Also: How to turn off Gemini in your Gmail, Docs, Photos, and more - it's easy to opt out Earlier today, Google announced several new creative tools to "help bring your memories to life" -- including one that lets you take any picture saved in your gallery and turn it into a short video. You can choose to add "subtle movements" or pick "I'm feeling lucky" to animate your photo into a full six-second clip. Google added a similar photo-to-video capability to the Gemini app earlier this month (ZDNET Senior Contributing Writer Tiernan Ray said it was "disconcerting how well it works"). Also: 10 must-try Google Photos tips and tricks - including a new AI editor There are some big differences between this and the Gemini version, though. One is that this one runs on Google's older Veo 2 video model, while Gemini's runs on Veo 3; the other is that you don't get to type your own custom prompt in the Photos version. The feature is rolling out on Android and iOS. Also new is the ability to "remix" photos into new styles. With Remix, you can edit your photos into different looks like anime, comic, 3D animation, or sketch. With the tap of a button, you can give your photo a whole new feel that's ready to share on social. Also: This hidden Pixel camera setting makes my photos absolutely pop - here's how Google is calling both of these features experimental still and admits that some outputs probably won't be what you intended. To help improve things, you can use a thumbs up or thumbs down rating to give feedback after a creation. With the rise in AI video and photo creation tools, Google says it understands these tools must be used responsibly. Not only are measures in place to prevent misuse, but any remixed photo will include a digital SynthID watermark that's invisible to the naked eye (the same thing Google does for photos edited with Reimagine). Videos generated by the new Photos feature will have a visual watermark. Get the morning's top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.

Google adds its photo-to-video tech to YouTube Shorts

Google has been putting more AI tools in just about all of its services, and two more are getting the treatment. First up, Google Photos is adding some new AI-powered creation features. Starting today, the platform will support a photo-to-video option that can generate a six-second clip from a still image in your library. The capability is powered by Google's Veo 2 engine, and users will be able to select either "Subtle movements" or "I'm feeling lucky" as the prompt for their video. Google Photos is also getting a Remix feature that recreates images in other artistic styles, such as anime, comics, sketches, or 3D animation. Remix will begin rolling out in the coming weeks for US users on both Android and iOS. These tools will eventually be housed in a new Create tab that's due to start rolling out within the Google Photos platform in the US in August. YouTube Shorts will also add a photo-to-video capability. This is a free feature that will arrive over the next week in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. More markets will receive the option later this year. The company noted that, like with Google Photos, the tool is powered by Veo 2, although Veo 3 support is slated to arrive in YouTube Shorts later this summer. Veo 2 also drives the new generative effects tool for the short-form videos. Google introduced a photo-to-video option to its Gemini app earlier this month, although using the tool there requires a subscription.

Google Photos can now turn your still images into short videos

I've been looking for a free text/photo-to-video tool for a while now. My requirements are simple: a reasonable output time, no subscription model, no ads galore, easy to use on a phone, and the tool needs to be from a generally reliable company. I've found multiple apps that tick several of those boxes, but none tick all. Gemini's Veo 3-powered tool comes the closest, but that, too, isn't truly free unless you get a complimentary AI Pro subscription with your new phone purchase. For me, and countless other users that might be looking for a lightweight AI video generator that's reliable, truly free to use, works seamlessly on small-screen devices like smartphones, and doesn't show ads every few seconds, there's good news. Related Gemini can now bring your still images to life with Veo 3 Simply upload and describe Posts Before your mind goes there, no, Google isn't making Veo 3 free-to-use, and neither is it launching a new free-to-use tool. Instead, it's adding its proven predecessor, Veo 2, to Google Photos. Google Photos is already home to most Android users' media needs, so adding Veo 2 and its capabilities to it makes a lot of sense, though don't get too excited just yet. The implementation comes with limittions. Imagine that perfect selfie with friends from a few years ago suddenly coming to life with subtle movements, or a cherished photo of your parent as a child smiling back at you. Unlike Gemini's Veo 3, you won't be able to go all out with prompts Source: Google According to the tech giant, users will be able to select a photo of their choice from their gallery and choose one of two prompts: 'Subtle movements' and 'I'm feeling lucky.' So no, you won't be able to take a photo of your friend and turn it into a video of them stuffing a whole pizza slice in their mouth at once, and you definitely won't be able to take a photo of your dog and make it look like it took ballet classes. You will, however, be able to add subtle movements like waving, and/or smiling to static images. Google didn't specify, though it did say that usage limits would apply. Similar to Veo 3 on Gemini, these will likely refresh every 24 hours. Borrowing another similarity, said videos will carry visible and invisible watermarks to highlight their AI origin. Photo-to-video generation within Google Photos is rolling out today to Android and iOS Google Photos users in the US. Source: Google Elsewhere, Google Photos now also highlights a new 'Create' tab, which essentially brings all of the app's creative tools under one screen. Tools like Collages, highlight video, Photo-to-video, and more will show up on this screen, in addition to a new 'Remix' tool that lets you transform images in your gallery into different art styles, like anime, comics, sketches, and even 3D animations. Android and iOS users in the US will begin gaining access to Remix starting today, with the dedicated Create tab to land later in August.

YouTube just made lots of Google's groundbreaking video tools free for everyone

It's not difficult to understand why Google has been investing so much time, money, and effort into its AI tools. Since the popularization of AI by ChatGPT, the field has experienced significant growth over the past couple of years, with major brands like Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, Nvidia, and others vying for a leading position. Related Gemini can now bring your still images to life with Veo 3 Simply upload and describe Posts Naturally, Google is also taking part in this race, and as such, we've seen an explosion of AI tools and features within the brand's ecosystem. But if there's one thing that we've learned throughout all of this, it's that there's always room for more. Today, Google is bringing one of its more popular AI tools to YouTube, allowing users to create small clips using a photo while utilizing a variety of effects. This is going to be a big one Close If you're someone that's currently paying to access Google's AI Pro or AI Ultra plan, or you have access to one of those plans because you purchased a Pixel phone, then this new feature coming to YouTube should sound familiar. Google recently announced its image to video tool for subscribers to its AI plans, offering a fun and creative way to showcase how powerful AI can be. Essentially, this tool can bring your photos to life, and add a small twist with some effects. YouTube users will now be able to select a photo and bring it to life with motion using some creative suggestions from Google. When it comes to some examples, Google will let you add subtle movements to landscape videos, create realistic-looking backgrounds, or draw a subject and see it come to life. It really is quite something once you get to see it in action. Most importantly, this feature will be free to users through YouTube, which is a huge way to get people to start experimenting and using it. This feature will be powered by Google's Veo 2 for now, and will get a Veo 3 upgrade sometime later in the year. For its initial roll-out, the feature will be available for free to those in the US, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. While this will no doubt cause an explosion of new AI videos to hit the web, Google does have some protections set in place, like SynthID watermarks and visual markers to help those watching to be able to distinguish videos that are AI-generated. If you're interested in creating your own videos with AI effects, you can head to the YouTube mobile app, and hit the + sign to begin creating. Once you select an image from your gallery, you'll have the option to create a video. There will also be an effects tab where you can add some AI-generated flair to photos as well.

YouTube Shorts Is About To Get a Lot More Slop

Summary YouTube Shorts introduces new AI tools, including "Photo to video" feature for instant video creation from static images. New generative effects allow for creative transformations, such as editing hand-drawn doodles or modifying selfie videos. An "AI playground" centralized on Shorts will offer inspiration, prompts, and generative tools to streamline the creation process. With the rise of AI, we've also seen the rise of "creators" making brand new (and lazy) content to post on their social media. And a lot of it does go viral often. YouTube Shorts is gaining new features to generate AI content, so it's about to get a lot more effortless. YouTube has announced a suite of new AI tools for Shorts creators. One of the most notable additions is "Photo to video," a tool designed to instantly transform a static image from your camera roll into a dynamic video clip. According to the announcement, you can select a picture and choose from several creative suggestions to animate it. The company provided examples such as adding motion to landscape photographs, animating pictures of everyday objects, or bringing life to group photos. YouTube is also introducing new generative effects that allow for more complex and creative transformations -- these AI-powered effects let you make AI edits to your content right from the app. Examples cited include turning hand-drawn doodles into polished images and modifying selfie videos to create unique scenes, such as someone appearing to swim underwater or being twinned with a lookalike sibling. These new options can be accessed by navigating to the "Effects" icon within the Shorts camera and selecting the "AI" category to browse the available generative tools. These features will live in a new "AI playground," which is honestly an extremely cursed concept. This section of the app will serve as a central destination for the platform's generative AI tools. It will feature not only the creation tools themselves but also a gallery of inspirational examples and pre-filled prompts to help you generate videos, images, and music more quickly. The AI playground is accessible by tapping the "create" button and then selecting the sparkle icon in the top right corner. All video modifications, including photo to video, are powered by Google's older Veo 2 model rather than the more realistic Veo 3, but Veo 3 will come to YouTube Shorts eventually. Related YouTube Is Getting Two New Smart Features Oh boy, more AI. Posts 1 Namely, photo to video was also introduced on Google Photos today. I feel like it's more justified there, though. Some people might want to animate some older photos or memories in their gallery for nostalgia reasons, or because it's fun. Here, though, I feel like it's mostly facilitating slop. It allows you to generate a ready-to-post video from a photo within a few seconds. While AI content generated right on YouTube will have tags clarifying they're AI-generated, partly thanks to SynthID tags, I feel like there's already enough lazily-generated AI content on the platform. Now, there's about to be a lot more. I would hope there's eventually a feature to filter out AI content, but there isn't one right now. Source: Google

Google Photos Is Getting New Uncanny Valley AI-Generation Tools

Summary Google Photos introduces "Photo to Video" feature for creating motion from static photos, available in the US on Android and iPhone. "Remix" feature uses AI-generated filters to transform photos into different artistic styles, rolling out in the US soon. A new "Create" tab is being added to Google Photos to access all creative tools, including Photo to Video and Remix, available in the US next month. Google Photos is one of the company's most popular apps, and it continues to evolve beyond just a storage solution. Now, Google is trying to make it a creative playground, giving you new ways to interact with your pictures and transform them into something new. Photo to Video AI-generated videos have become a trendy topic, thanks in part to Google's Veo 3. That same technology is coming to your Google Photos library with a feature called "Photo to Video." The idea is you can add movement to static photos, creating brand new videos from them. All you have to do is pick a picture and choose from two prompts: "Subtle movements" or "I'm feeling lucky." In a matter of seconds, your static photo transforms into a six-second video clip. Whether or not you think the result is creepy uncanny valley is up to you. This feature is rolling out now in the US for both Android and iPhone users. Remix Sticking with the AI theme, Google is adding some hardcore generated filters with a feature called "Remix." You just pick a photo and select your favorite artistic style. The app will transform your picture into something completely different. If you're lucky, it won't be a rip-off of an artist's work. Remix is hitting Android and iPhones in the US in the coming weeks. New "Create" Tab If you're thinking Google Photos is getting kinda crowded with features, you're not wrong. Google Photos is introducing a new "Create" tab to make it easier to find all these tools. This is your one-stop shop for all creative features, including the new Photo to Video and Remix tools, as well as collages, highlight videos, and more. Look for the "Create" tab to start rolling out in the US next month. Close As these AI features become available, Google wants to make sure they're used responsibly. Both Photo to Video and Remix will include an invisible "SynthID" digital watermark. These features are still experimental, so you might occasionally get a result that's not quite what you wanted. If that happens, you can use the thumbs up and down buttons to provide feedback. Using AI to modify existing photos and videos is an interesting topic for discussion. It begs the question, what is the point of a photo or video anyway? Is it to capture a specific moment in time as it was, or to create something from it that never existed? That's something we all have to think about. Source: Google

YouTube Shorts rolling out GenAI tools powered by Veo 2, for now

YouTube is starting to implement GenAI into its Shorts creation hub, with new features like photo-to-video generation and an arsenal of AI-powered video effects powered by the company's second-best generation model. Not to mention, YouTube's new AI Playground adds full-on content generation. On the heels of releasing Veo 3 and discussing at length how powerful AI generation is becoming, Google is officially rolling out new GenAI creation tools for users via YouTube Shorts, with a few adding some utility to captured content. The new features will live in the Shorts creation hub, allowing users to generate new content from still photos, existing videos, or even drawings. YouTube announced that three major GenAI functions are available to Shorts creators. The first is a photo-to-video feature, which only requires a single image. From that, Google's GenAI model creates a quick clip based on a suggestion for the model to work with. Google hasn't detailed the length limit for generated clips, but they'll likely be rather short. Shorts is also adding a couple of options in the effects set in the app. In the AI section, two new effects can be selected before recording a video. The first is a fun underwater effect. During the video, the underwater effect will begin to generate frames between organically captured ones to depict the subject in water. Google's own sample video looks impressive. The effects section also allows users to doodle drawings on their phone, turning them into more colorful generated images. The latter feature feels a little more out of place than the rest in the YouTube app, but it's fun nonetheless. This GenAI update brings Google's AI Playground into play with YouTube Shorts, as well. The playground is aimed at content generation, rather than adding effects to videos and drawings. Here, users can use prompts like with any other LLM model and create videos and music. That content can then be posted to YouTube Shorts. It's unclear whether or not these generated videos are based on user-created prompts or just YouTube suggestions. According to YouTube, generated content will be clearly labeled to indicate the use of AI. This is more along the lines of what was initially alluded to during a quick announcement last month. It was noted that Google would soon integrate content generation with YouTube utilizing Veo 3, the company's latest generation model for video. Interestingly enough, the AI tools YouTube announced today for Shorts are powered by Veo 2, but the company notes that they'll soon run on Veo 3. There is no timeframe set. YouTube also noted that these features, rolling out now and over the next couple of weeks, would be available in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Google Photos adding free photo-to-video, Remix, and Create tab

The latest round of new features for Google Photos is meant to "bring your memories to life" using generative AI, with photo-to-video rolling out now. Your photo library In Google Photos is more than an archive, it's a canvas. We're excited to see how you use these tools to bring your memories to life in new ways. Photo-to-video lets you take an existing still image in your library and transform it into a "dynamic" six-second clip: "Imagine that perfect selfie with friends from a few years ago suddenly coming to life with subtle movements, or a cherished photo of your parent as a child smiling back at you." After selecting a picture, you can choose one of two prompts: "Subtle movements" or "I'm feeling lucky." The process "may take up to one minute." You can regenerate as needed before saving to your library or sharing. This is powered by Veo 2 (instead of Veo 3 which makes possible sound), with Google Photos imposing "video generation limits." In the Gemini app, generating video of any sort requires a paid subscription. Photo-to-video in Google Photos is free, with the rollout starting today in the US on Android and iOS. Meanwhile, Remix lets you take an image (people or pets) and "choose your favorite style to easily transform pictures" into anime, comics, sketches, or 3D animations. This is coming to the mobile apps in the US over the coming weeks. Finally, Google Photos is adding a new "Create" tab to the bottom bar. Joining Photos, Collections, and Ask/Search, the idea is to have a unified place to access photo-to-video, Remix, collages, highlight videos, and more. This will begin rolling out in the US in August, with Google adding new tools and continuing to refine existing ones over time. On the safety front, everything generated in Google Photos features an invisible SynthID digital watermark and a visible one in the corner for videos, just like Gemini. You will be able to leave feedback on generated media with a thumbs up or down.

Google and YouTube will let you use AI to turn images into videos and more -- here's what we know

Both Google and YouTube are adding new features that aim to expand what you can do with your photos. Specifically, Google says its Photos app is gaining new tools that can breathe new life into your photos. Those features include adding a photo-to-video feature powered by Veo 2 as well a new Remix capability that converts existing photos into animations, sketchs, comics and other styles. Meanwhile, YouTube Shorts will also pick up the photo-to-video feature, and it's introducing new generative video effects, too. The photos-to-video feature lets users transform their images into 6-second video clips in just a few steps. All this is powered by Google's Veo 2 AI video generator when you select a picture from your gallery and pick from one of two prompts -- "Subtle movements" or "I'm feeling lucky." On top of that, Google Photos will now allow you to "remix" your images, allowing you to change the style of your images with ease. For instance, you could turn your most recent selfie into an anime, comic or even a 3D animation. All you have to do is select an image in your gallery and then choose your preferred style. Not only can you animate your images, but Google is also introducing a new Create tab in Google Photos that makes it even easier to find the tools that you need. Basically, it's a tab to find each feature, such as photo-to-video and remix, in one place. With the push for more AI-backed features, Google is also working to improve transparency regarding what is, and isn't generated through AI. For instance, all videos and photos generated with the above methods will include an invisible SynthID watermark, while Videos generated in Photos will also have a visual watermark, similar to what you'd see in Gemini. On top of that, both Photo to video and Remix will be supported by Google's Red Team, a group of ethical hackers, who will aim to find and address any potential issues, while also conducting evaluations to prevent any of these features from being misused. You can try out the Photo to Video feature today (July 23), while the Remix feature will be arriving in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the Create tab is expected for release in August. It isn't just Google that is making use of AI for new features, as YouTube has announced new features based around combining the creation tools with YouTube Shorts. Like Google, YouTube is also introducing the ability to turn your photos into video, allowing you to easily breathe new life into your pictures. This feature is set for release next week, free of charge, in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, with more regions coming later this year. On top of that, YouTube is also adding new generative effects to YouTube, including the ability to turn your doodles into lifelike images. You'll also be able to turn your images into more unique videos, for instance, adding in water or twinning with a lookalike sibling. To access these effects, find the sparkle icon in the shorts camera and then tap on "AI" to start browsing. YouTube isn't only releasing features either, as the company has announced that while the features will initially run on Veo 2, the company will soon be rolling out the newer Veo 3 to YouTube later this summer. YouTube is also introducing AI Playground, where you can easily find the latest gen AI tools, as well as a gallery of examples and pre-filled prompts to help you get started generating music, videos and more. AI Playground is available now for everyone in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. All you need to do is tap the create button, and then the sparkle icon in the top right corner. Like Google, all of these tools will make use of Synth ID watermarks, as we all as clear labels, to help prove that they were made with AI. Overall, it's an exciting time for AI fans looking to add something a little bit different to their images and YouTube shorts. It's also good to see that both Google and YouTube are working to implement more transparency on what is AI and what isn't. As such, now is the time to grab one of the best camera phones and see what you can create.

Google Brings New Video AI Features to Google Photos and YouTube Shorts

Google Photos is gaining a photo-to-video feature that's powered by Veo 2. The photo app will be able to generate short videos from the photos that are saved in the Google Photos gallery, adding subtle animations, facial expressions, and more. Google Photos users can select a picture from their photo gallery and choose the "Subtle movements" or "I'm feeling lucky" options to bring images to life with movement. The feature is rolling out today in the Google Photos apps for iOS and Android. In the next few weeks, Google Photos will get a "Remix" feature that will allow users to change the style of a photo using AI. Available options will include anime, comic, sketch, and 3D animation. The Photo to video and Remix tools can both be found in the new Create tab in Google Photos, and all AI-generated content will be watermarked with a SynthID digital watermark. As for YouTube Shorts, Google is allowing creators to use the Photo to video feature to turn pictures from the camera roll into videos that work on the Shorts platform. As with the option in Google Photos, Photo to video can add movement to landscape photos, animate everyday images, and add life to group photos. Creators are also able to use new effects that can transform doodles into images and turn selfies into unique videos. Photo to video for YouTube Shorts is rolling out today and over the next week, and it's a free feature that will be available in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The new effects are rolling out in the coming weeks and can be found by tapping the Effects icon in the Shorts camera.

How to Turn Your Photo Into a YouTube Short

We may earn a commission when you click links to retailers and purchase goods. More info. Google announced today that Photos users can turn their photos into videos using AI. To spread the love, they have also announced the same thing for YouTube Shorts creators. You'll simply upload a photo to YouTube, then Veo 2 can have some fun and generate a whole storyline for you around the photo. Google says, "This feature instantly transforms any static photo from your gallery into a dynamic Short. Your pictures have stories and now you can bring them to life!" Mind you, the stories are fictional and we hope that they are labeled as such, but nevertheless here we are. Making them is easy enough and it's completely free to use for the time being. More Generative Effects for YouTube Shorts: YouTube is also including a way to generate effects for your videos. With this, you can quickly take a selfie video and then generate effects to make it really interesting. For example, you can be walking on a city street and then generate yourself going underwater. There are lots of tools to play with, and again, it's all free to use for now. Go have some fun, but do responsibly.

Google Photos Crazy New Tool Lets You Turn Photos Into Videos

We may earn a commission when you click links to retailers and purchase goods. More info. Google is introducing a couple of new features today within Google Photos that were inevitable, thanks to AI. Whether these are good or bad features is not up for me to decide, although you can probably imagine where I'm leaning. Either way, just know that you'll now be able to take a photo and have AI make a video out of it. You'll also be able to "remix" a photo into anime or cartoon or a 3D animation. Google Photos new AI tools - Photo to Video, Remix, Create tab: In total, there are actually 3 announcements from Google today. There's "Photo to Video" and "Remix," but they are giving us a new "Create" tab too. This will be the place where all of your AI items live, with the potential for more or less tools in the future, depending on how all this goes. The new Google Photos "Photo to Video" feature is probably the one to really focus on here, as your imagination can probably goes places with this that maybe our still photos shouldn't go. Thankfully, that's not Google's plan for now. Instead, Google will let you choose a photo and and then pick from two options of "Subtle movement" or "I'm feeling lucky." These will then create short 6-second AI-generated clips of your photo. This new "Photo to Video" feature will begin rolling out as early as today in the US on Android and iOS. And then we have "Remix," which is a feature where you'll choose and photo and then turn it into a style. Google suggests style choices of "anime, comics, sketches or 3D animations," though there could be more we aren't seeing or that will arrive in the future. This is a silly feature that could be fun at times and is mostly harmless. But please, don't make a wedding photo into a cartoon, share it publicly, and think anyone cares, OK? This new "Remix" feature will start rolling out in the US on Android and iOS in the "next few weeks." Finally, we have the new "Create" tab that will show up in August in the US. This tab is simply a place for all of your creative-type tools within Google Photos to live. You'll find the two new features we mentioned above, as well as your collages, highlight videos, and others. Google says that they want to bring these tools "responsibly" to the world, so they are adding SynthID digital watermarks to both Remix and Photo to Video creations. They will also try to proactively identify other issues to prevent misuse and want your feedback, so be sure to use thumbs up or down buttons if you like or dislike something their tools create.

A first look at the new generative AI effects in YouTube Shorts

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.

Google Photos Will Now Let You Turn Your Images Into Videos

Google Photos is getting two new artificial intelligence (AI) features that will allow users to transform their images in the gallery in different ways. On Wednesday, the Mountain View-based tech giant announced an AI-powered image-to-video feature that will allow users to convert any photo in the gallery into a video. This feature is being powered by the company's Veo 2 AI model. Additionally, Google Photos is also offering a new Remix feature that will allow users to reimagine their images in different styles. In a blog post, the tech giant detailed the two new features coming to Google Photos. At present, these features will only be available in the US on both Android and iOS devices. Apart from these, the photo gallery app is also offering a new Create tab where all the AI features will be listed for ease of access. The most prominent new feature being added is dubbed Photo to Video. Powered by Veo 2, the feature can convert any image into a six-second-long video. To use it, users will have to select one image from their gallery and pick the feature from options menu. Then, they will have to select between "Subtle movements" or "I'm feeling lucky". While the former only adds minor movements, the latter adds a random motion to the video. Google said the feature will allow users to bring their precious memories to life. While there is a potential for abuse with this feature, since users cannot add a prompt to decide what the generated video would be like, the scope to create deepfakes is significantly less. This feature is currently rolling out to Photos app users in the US. The second feature, dubbed Remix, is similar to Apple Intelligence's Image Playground. Users can pick an image and select between preset styles such as anime, comics, sketches, or 3D animations, and transform their image in that style. Google said this feature will be coming to the US-based Android and iOS users in the coming weeks. Apart from this, Google Photos is also getting a new Create tab. It will be located at the bottom between the Collections and Search options. The tab will feature all the existing and new features the tech giant adds in the app. For now, users can find Photo to Video, Remix, Collages, Highlight Videos, and other features in this tab.

This New YouTube Shorts Tool Lets You Animate and Add Movement to Photos

Features are rolling out in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zeland YouTube on Wednesday announced new creation tools for Shorts to make the process of creating easier and fun. It introduces a new photo-to-video tool which lets creators turn photos from their camera roll into videos, using creative suggestions. They can animate and add movement to still photos, free of charge. Further, there are new generative edits which leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to add effects for transforming doodles into images and selfies into videos. In a blog post, YouTube said that the new photo-to-video feature in Shorts is powered by Google's Veo 2 video generation model. It can turn photos into videos. For example, creators can add movement to landscape photos, animate group photos, and everyday pictures. It is available in YouTube Shorts at no extra cost. To turn images into videos, you need to select a photo from the camera roll, choose a creative suggestion, and tap on the Create video option. This feature is currently rolling out for creators in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the US. As per the company, it will also roll out integration of the latest Veo 3 video generation model in the coming months. The tech giant is also introducing new effects. The feature, known as generative effects, lets you turn doodles into images. Further, you can also convert selfies into video clips with special effects. It is accessible via a sparkles icon the Shorts camera viewfinder. It is also available in the same regions where photo-to-video is being rolled out. Google says this feature will also be expanded to more creators globally soon. Currently, generative effects in YouTube Shorts are also powered by Veo 2 video generation model but will soon have Veo 3 integration too. To access all of the AI tools available in YouTube Shorts, the tech giant has a new AI playground. It offers all of the latest generative AI-powered creation tools, along with several templates for reference. There are also pre-filled prompts which can be used to quickly push out Shorts without much effort.

YouTube Shorts Just Got Smarter: AI Now Turns Your Photos into Viral-Ready Videos

To make production easier for people, YouTube has made a move to stay ahead of the curve of short-form content. YouTube Shorts is rolling out a powerful set of generative AI tools designed to help creators do more with less. From transforming static photos into dynamic videos to crafting effects that think for themselves, this isn't just a feature upgrade -- it's a tectonic shift in content creation. The highlight of this new rollout is the image-to-video AI generator, a tool that allows users to convert simple still images into visually compelling, motion-packed short videos. What used to take editing skills, third-party apps, and hours of tweaking can now be done in seconds, directly within the YouTube Shorts interface. The AI leverages deep learning to animate photos with background effects, motion cues, and even music syncing -- turning every static frame into a story in motion. For creators, this means the ability to push out more content, more quickly, without sacrificing quality or engagement. Alongside this, YouTube is also introducing a suite of AI-powered visual effects that adapt in real time. These effects are not just aesthetic filters -- they're context-aware. They can detect motion, subjects, and scenes, and modify visuals accordingly. For example, suppose a creator is filming in low light or a crowded environment. In that case, the AI will intelligently enhance visibility, remove noise, or highlight faces -- all while preserving the original vibe. Google's AI integration strategy is also visible here. These new tools reflect the company's broader push to democratize artificial intelligence and embed it into daily workflows. By bringing high-end AI capabilities to casual creators, YouTube is reducing the friction between inspiration and execution. No expensive gear. No editing software. Just a few taps, and the algorithm does the rest. For brands, influencers, and hobbyists alike, this opens a whole new realm of possibilities. Imagine turning a throwback photo into a trending short or using AI to auto-generate thematic visuals for a campaign in seconds. The accessibility of these tools means more people can enter the creator economy, raising the bar for what short-form content can be. YouTube Shorts isn't just chasing trends anymore. It's setting them -- with AI as its creative co-pilot.

Snaps to Scenes: Turn Ordinary Photos into Cinematic Highlights

Google Photos, where people used to store their photos and memories, has now evolved its game. It is no longer just a storage vault for your selfies, sunsets, and screenshots, the app is giving its users over its tool so they can explore their artistic side. With the latest Google update, users can now remix photos and transform them into animated, stylized videos that blend nostalgia with innovation. What is the aim? To redefine how we experience and share memories with the help of an AI-enhanced world. Google's push here isn't about gimmicks. It's about utility meeting creativity. The "Remix" feature, recently introduced, gives users the option to select photos that Google's AI will compile into video highlight reels. But this isn't your old-school slideshow maker. The AI isn't just sequencing images -- it's analysing expressions, lighting, scenery, and even the emotional arc of the visuals to craft a narrative flow. Users can then adjust the pacing, swap out tracks, or insert new images midstream. The result? A video that feels intentionally edited yet requires almost zero effort from your side. This aligns perfectly with Google's larger vision of making AI invisible but impactful. They don't want users to feel like they're wrangling with complex editing software. Instead, Google Photos does the heavy lifting, letting creativity shine through without adding cognitive load. Whether you're an amateur photographer, a busy parent, or a social media content creator, the remix feature offers something universal: time saved, and memories elevated. This upgrade leans heavily on machine learning models trained to detect visual quality, faces, groupings, motion cues, and even personal relevance. That vacation photo of you laughing with friends? It's likely to take centre stage. That duplicate blurry shot from the same moment. Automatically skipped. The AI understands context, not just content. But it's not just about creating highlight reels. Google is also enhancing Memories -- a feature that surfaces past events like birthdays or holidays into short, shareable videos. Now, instead of passively viewing a collection of old photos, you can relive moments with subtle animations, motion effects, and curated music in the background. It's nostalgia on steroids. In a time when Gen Z and millennials are pushing for more immersive, personal, and aesthetic content, this evolution feels timely. Photos aren't just records anymore -- they're raw material. Google is tapping into a cultural shift where moments are meant to be shared, remixed, and reimagined. And thanks to their AI integration, this no longer demands time-consuming apps or advanced editing skills. For creators, this opens a new avenue of expression. TikTokers and Instagrammers looking for quick, polished edits can now rely on Google Photos as a silent co-editor. The ability to export these creations directly into other apps or share them instantly also shows how seamlessly Google is integrating its services into the broader content ecosystem.

YouTube Shorts Introduces AI Tools to Turn Images into Fun Videos

These new additions are rolling out for free in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand starting next week. YouTube Shorts is rolling out some new AI-powered tools, as the platform introduces an image-to-video feature for short-form creators. Along with that, new generative effects lets you turn sketches into cool images, and reimagine your selfies in fascinating scenes. YouTube announced these new AI creation tools in its latest blog post. You can share an image from your camera roll and pick a suggestion to turn it into a video. In one of YouTube's demos, an image of a traffic signal comes to life as the pedestrian figure starts dancing as the camera slowly zooms in. This is similar to the image-to-video capability available in the Gemini app which is powered by the Veo 3 video generation model. However, on YouTube Shorts, the current tool is powered by Veo 2. Google says Veo 3 is coming later this summer. The feature is rolling out next week in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand free of charge. The company plans to roll it out to other regions soon. YouTube Shorts is also bringing some new generative effects. YouTube says, "Our latest generative effects can dynamically transform your doodles into fun images and turn your selfies into unique videos, like swimming underwater, twinning with a lookalike sibling, and more." These new effects are available from the Effects ✨icon, which is accessible from the AI menu. Note that all AI-generated content will have a SynthID watermark and clear labels to help viewers identify AI-generated creations. So are you excited to try out these AI-powered YouTube Shorts tools? Let us know in the comments below.

Google Photos gets photo-to-video, remix, and create tab creative tools

Google has launched new features in Google Photos that make it easier to bring your still images to life and share them. Josh Sassoon, Director of UX for Google Photos and Google One, highlighted tools like photo-to-video animation and photo remixing designed to enhance creativity. Photo-to-Video Animation Google Photos now offers a feature powered by Veo 2 technology that transforms static photos into six-second videos. Users can select a photo and apply one of two animation prompts -- "Subtle movements" or "I'm feeling lucky" -- to create short dynamic clips, ideal for bringing old photos like childhood smiles or group selfies to life. Usage limits may apply. The Remix tool lets users quickly apply different artistic styles to photos directly within the gallery. This feature enables easy transformation of images into stylized illustrations or creative versions for sharing. A new Create tab consolidates all creative options including Photo-to-Video, Remix, collages, and highlight videos in one place, allowing users to explore and experiment with Google Photos' creative tools. This hub will be updated regularly based on user feedback. All content created with Photo-to-Video and Remix includes an invisible SynthID watermark, while videos add a visible AI label for clarity, similar to Gemini videos. Google also performs in-depth "red teaming" and encourages user feedback to improve safety and address misuse.

YouTube Shorts gets photo-to-video, generative effects, and AI playground tools

YouTube is rolling out new creation tools to Shorts, aimed at making short-form content creation easier and more interactive. The update includes a photo-to-video converter, generative effects powered by Veo 2, and an AI Playground that brings together a range of AI-driven creative tools. Photo-to-Video Tool Following its availability in Google Photos, the Photo to video feature allows users to transform static images into video clips. Creators can select a photo from their camera roll, apply a creative suggestion, and generate a short video. This can animate landscape photos, add movement to group shots, or bring everyday images to life with motion. Shorts now supports generative effects built using Veo 2. These effects can convert simple doodles into stylized visuals or modify selfies with AI-generated elements. Examples include underwater effects and sibling lookalike filters. These effects are available by tapping the ✨ Effects icon and then the AI section in the Shorts camera. The AI Playground serves as a central space for exploring and using YouTube's generative AI tools. It includes content examples, ready-to-use prompts, and tools for generating videos, images, and music. It can be accessed through the Create button, followed by the sparkle icon in the top-right corner. Sarah Ali, VP of Product Management for YouTube Shorts and Creation Experiences, emphasized that all these tools use SynthID watermarks and clear labels to show the content was AI-generated.