VEO 3, the game-changing video with audio generator, switches from payment to creation to a free version inside YouTube shorts.
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan announced the pending change during a speech at the Cannes Lions Marketing Event in France. “I’m incredibly excited about the potential of AI tools to strengthen human creativity,” Mohan said, before revealing VEO 3 would arrive in shorts “later this summer”.
VEO 3’s inclusion follows VEO 2 that lets creators add AI-generated background and video to their YouTube shorts. VEO 3 – from Google’s Deepmind Division – is, however, an AI in a different color.
Google, which also owns YouTube, introduced the generative platform in May under Google I/O as part of the Gemini Ultra. It has the unprecedented ability to generate video and synchronized sound in a passport based on your prompt.
It’s not surprising that VEO 3 comes to YouTube shorts. A relaxed look at rival Tiktok reveals thousands of VEO 3 clips that contain everything from fictional (and sometimes bisarre) sitcoms and advertisements to fake news reports.
If there has been any limiting factor for VEO 3’s reach, it has been that it is part of the Premium Gemini Ultra platform, which can cost as much as $ 249.99 a month. Gemini Pro ($ 19.99 a month) also has access, but it is limited to one or two 8-second clips a day.
VEO 3 in YouTube shorts will be, youtube confirmed for me, free to use.
This is a game election. This means that suddenly YouTube shorts will be the destination to generate wild, sound-filled videos and may result in slightly drain from Tiktok’s AI-Generated activity (and its accompanying video editing app, Capcut).
While YouTube shorts reportedly have several monthly active users, Tiktok has the overwhelming majority of Gen Z audience. At least this update may turn the flow of video from Tiktok to shorts and wheels, to AI video, first shared on shorts and then to Tiktok and Wheels.
“I think these tools will open new creative lanes for everyone to explore,” Mohan said.
That’s what you put in it
I made this in VEO 3 as a kind of tribute to a classic wine that I am sure only @brittlestar, @jonathanscott and @mrdrewscott. 🔈 The original was more fun. pic.twitter.com/9sybqt1q9vJune 2, 2025
As I wrote earlier this year, the introduction of VEO 3 is a true “talkies” moment for AI video. Although we have had powerful tools like Openais Sora for almost a year, there has been no way to easily realize a fully scripted AI video with audio dialogue until VEO 3. I have used it to create amazing videos with dinosaurs and almost recreate the first YouTube video.
It is not that VEO 3 will make a function length AI movie without your input. VEO 3 instructions require script-level details, including dialogue, stage descriptions, camera angles, shooting styles and anything else you can think of telling VEO 3 about your production. And it must all be in the form of a prompt.
VEO 3 is not perfect. Videos created through the platform are usually presented in 8-second segments that may lack some continuity (I have noticed how the appearance of the protagonist subtly changes from scene to scene). However, this is likely to be corrected in future updates.
As for how VEO 3 will be presented in YouTube shorts, you can expect it to match how VEO 2 is currently displaying.
I’ve asked YouTube if there will be a limit for the number of VEO 3 videos you can generate in YouTube shorts in one day and will update this post with their response.
