YouTube Shorts is adding an image-to-video AI tool
It could give creators the power to turn simple photos and doodles into animated clips.
It wasn't too long ago that YouTube joined in the war against AI slop eating deep into media content, but it wants to let it live free in YouTube Shorts.
The company just rolled out an image-to-video AI tool that can turn any static picture from your camera roll into a lively six-second clip, complete with subtle movements and creative animations. Whether you want to add a cinematic zoom to a landscape shot, play God and breathe life into a group photo, or make something as simple as a logo break into a dance, this feature is meant to spark imagination.
This is not the first time we're seeing this innovation in the tech space. Meta’s Edits app already has its own AI-powered Animate tool, but the difference is that YouTube’s version is tightly integrated with Shorts, making it an easy process for creators already using the platform.
Alongside this, YouTube is rolling out new AI-powered effects that allow you to transform basic doodles into artistic images or apply playful filters that can, for example, duplicate your selfie or make it look like you’re swimming underwater.
Powered by Google Veo 2 (video generation model), these features will be available in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand this week, with plans to expand globally later this year.
Henry Chikwem
YouTube has shared that every AI-generated clip will be stamped with Google’s SynthID watermark. That way, viewers know the difference between human creativity and machine. This push also comes at a time when the short-form video space is heating up with TikTok and Instagram Reels investing in new AI features.
With Shorts now racking up over 200 billion daily views as reported by the YouTube blog, these AI-powered upgrades could give creators even more reason to choose YouTube over its rivals, especially as the platform prepares to integrate Google’s even more advanced Veo 3 model later this summer.
Still, I think the irony isn't lost here. YouTube was quick to criticize and even sanction the flood of low-quality AI-generated content, yet it’s now actively arming its creators with the very same tools it once cautioned against. How times change!
Oluwaseun Bamisile
