Google Launches Veo 2 AI Video Generator for Gemini Advanced Subscribers, Challenging OpenAI’s Sora

Google has officially launched Veo 2, an AI-powered video generation tool, available to subscribers of its premium Gemini Advanced plan. The tool positions itself as a direct competitor to OpenAI’s Sora platform, as Google aims to capture a share of the growing generative video AI market. This move follows a wave of developments in the sector, including the release of Runway’s fourth-generation video model and a substantial new investment in synthetic media.

Veo 2 allows Gemini Advanced users to create short eight-second video clips in 720p resolution with a 16:9 aspect ratio, which can be shared on platforms like TikTok and YouTube or downloaded in MP4 format. However, there are limitations, including a cap on the number of videos users can generate each month and the exclusion of users on Google Workspace business and education plans. Videos are also watermarked using SynthID, Google’s proprietary AI content tagging technology.

In addition to its standalone rollout, Google is integrating Veo 2 into its experimental Whisk feature, which enables users to animate images into short videos. Whisk is part of Google’s $20-per-month Google One AI Premium subscription service, granting users early access to its experimental tools. Although Veo 2’s features remain relatively basic at the moment, Google’s CEO Demis Hassabis hints at future developments that will merge Gemini models with Veo 2 to enhance AI’s understanding of physics and dynamics.

The rapid advancement of generative AI tools like Veo 2 has raised concerns among creative professionals. A 2024 study projected that AI technologies could disrupt over 100,000 film, TV, and animation jobs in the U.S. by 2026. With Sora offering higher-resolution video generation and greater flexibility in terms of video content creation, the competitive landscape in generative AI video tools is intensifying.

Source: Naira metrics