YouTube Shorts has introduced new creation tools designed to make content creation easier and more engaging. These tools include the ability to transform photos into videos, a feature called Photo to video, which instantly converts pictures from your camera roll into animated videos by adding movement or effects. This feature is currently rolling out for free in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, with plans to expand to more regions later this year.
New Effects and AI Integration
Users can also explore a variety of new generative effects that dynamically transform doodles into images and selfies into unique videos, such as underwater swimming or twinning with a lookalike sibling. These effects are accessible via the Effects icon in the Shorts camera under the AI section and will be available to more creators globally soon. Both Photo to video and these generative effects are powered by Veo 2 technology, with Veo 3 expected to launch on YouTube Shorts later this summer.
AI Playground and Additional Tools
YouTube Shorts also launched AI playground, a new space for creators to access the latest generative AI tools, inspirational examples, and pre-filled prompts to generate videos, images, music, and more. AI playground is currently available in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Google Photos is similarly launching a photo to video feature, complementing YouTube’s suite of tools, which includes Gemini.
Transparency and Creativity
All AI-generated creations feature SynthID watermarks and clear labels to indicate their origin. While these tools enhance the creative process, YouTube emphasizes that the unique creativity of users remains the core of what makes Shorts compelling.
