YouTube is rolling out some new generative AI features for Shorts creators, aimed at making video creation faster, easier, and more creative. The update includes a Photo to Video tool, AI-powered effects, and the introduction of an AI Playground.
One of the highlights is the Photo to Video feature, which allows users to turn any image from their gallery into a six-second animated video.
Powered by Google’s Veo 2 AI model, the tool analyzes the uploaded photo and offers movement-based suggestions. For example, a simple pedestrian signal image can be transformed into a video where the walking man starts to dance.
This tool is already being compared to existing features in Google’s Gemini and Meta’s Animate tool in the Edits app, which also breathe life into still images.
The feature will be available via the YouTube mobile app and is currently rolling out in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, with plans to expand globally later this year.
To use the tool, users need to open the YouTube mobile app, tap the ➕ Create button, choose a photo, and then select the “Photo to video” option. From there, they can choose from AI-suggested animations and customize the clip before uploading.
Alongside this, YouTube has added new generative AI effects to its Shorts camera. These include features that turn selfies into animated videos, such as underwater swimming effects or twinning with someone, as well as drawing-based tools that convert rough doodles into fun, stylized visuals.
To access these effects, users can go to the Shorts camera, tap on the “Effects” icon, and select the “AI” tab. These tools are also powered by Veo 2, with Veo 3 integration expected later this year.
Another exciting addition is the AI Playground, a central hub for all generative AI tools in YouTube Shorts. Here, creators can explore pre-filled prompts, inspirational content, and access tools to generate videos, images, music, and backgrounds. It can be found by tapping the sparkle icon in the top right corner after hitting the Create button.
All of these features aim to make Shorts content creation more accessible, especially for beginners or creators who want to experiment with visual storytelling.
YouTube also emphasized that every AI-generated content includes SynthID watermarks and clear labeling to ensure transparency.
YouTube is continuing to invest heavily in its Shorts platform, which now averages over 200 billion daily views, according to CEO Neal Mohan’s remarks at Cannes Lions 2025. These AI-powered additions are part of a broader strategy to stay ahead in the short-form video race.
