Google Photos Embraces Veo 3 AI for Video and Image Remixing
Google is injecting its Photos platform with a fresh dose of generative AI by integrating the Veo 3 video model. This move brings a suite of new creative tools that allow users to manipulate their existing media in novel ways.
A key upgrade is a significant improvement to the pre-existing photo-to-video feature. Google states that this tool can now transform still images into higher quality video clips than before.
A prominent new addition is a feature called Remix. This tool allows users to transform their standard photos into a variety of artistic styles. Options include turning a picture into an anime drawing, a comic book illustration, or a 3D animation. This functionality taps into a popular use case made common by image generators, similar to the Studio Ghibli-inspired images that have proliferated online.
Veo 3 also introduces a new Collage tool designed to simplify the process of selecting multiple photos and arranging them into a chosen layout. An integrated simple image editor is accessible directly from the collage maker for quick adjustments.
Another tool, called Highlight, automatically creates visual montages set to music based on a user’s search prompts. There is also a Cinematic Photos feature that generates a 3D rendering effect from a standard photograph. Google notes that many of these new tools can be layered and combined to produce unique images and video content.
The Veo 3 integration is currently available to Google Photos users in the United States. All of these new AI features are located within a newly created tab called Create. Access to the image generations is not unlimited; users receive a set number of free generations per day. Subscribers to Google’s AI Pro and Ultra tiers will have access to a larger number of generations.
This integration into Google Photos is part of a broader rollout for Veo 3. Google recently announced it is also adding the same video generation model to YouTube to power new creation tools for Shorts.
