After rolling out text-based vertical video generation in VEO last year, Google is now expanding the feature to be inspired by reference images.
With the VEO 3.1 component update to the Video tool, Google now allows users to upload up to three portrait reference images. Google says.
The update also brings more consistency to characters. In Google Notes, they stay visually connected even if they change order in a clip.
Another big change is native support for the 9:16 aspect ratio. Users can now select a vertical format in VEO and upload the output directly to YouTube Shorts or TechTalk without cropping or compressing. Users can also upscale their videos to 4K resolution when the previous limit was 1080p.
All these VEO improvements are now included in the Gemini mobile app. Google is also making them available in YouTube Shorts and YouTube creates the app for the first time. Meanwhile, professional and enterprise users can use these features in Flow, Gemini API, Vertex AI, and Google VIDs.
The upgraded capabilities could mean a greater AI slant in YouTube shorts and similar platforms. A recent study found that about 21% of the shorts we watch are AI-generated.
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If you want to remove shorts from YouTube search results, you can use the platform’s new content filters.
To check if the video you received was produced using Google’s own AI tools, you can upload the clip to Gemini and ask it to verify.
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Jibeen is a tech news writer based in Ahmedabad, India. Previously, he served as the editor of the iGex blog and is a self-proclaimed tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex information for a wider audience.
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