At I/O 2024, Google introduced Veo, its latest and most advanced generative AI video model. Veo is capable of generating high-quality 1080p videos that exceed 60 seconds in length. This is essentially their answer to Sora, which OpenAI unvieled in February.
One of Veo's key strengths is its understanding of natural language and visual semantics. It can interpret complex text prompts, accurately grasping the nuance and tone of a phrase, and then generate video content that closely aligns with the creator's vision. This includes the ability to interpret and implement cinematic terms and techniques, such as "timelapse" or "aerial shots," offering an unprecedented level of creative control to users.
The model also ensures consistency and coherence in the generated footage. People, animals, and objects move realistically and maintain their integrity throughout the shots, creating a smooth and immersive viewing experience.
Videos created by Veo are watermarked using SynthID, Google's tool for identifying AI-generated content. It's not yet known if Veo will support the emerging C2PA metadata standard. Google says the model also undergoes safety filters and memorization checking processes to mitigate privacy, copyright, and bias risks.
Veo is not yet publicly available—there is a waitlist that you can signup for if you are interested. The company also plans to integrate some of Veo's capabilities into YouTube Shorts and other products in the future, offering exciting new possibilities for content creation and storytelling.
How does Veo compare to OpenAI's Sora? Well, they're pretty close—both models can generate videos over 60 seconds in length with high-quality visuals and temporal continuity. However, based on the examples Google has shared, Veo's realism doesn't quite match that of Sora. Here is an example of similar content from both of them for reference.
Veo
Prompt: An aerial shot of a lighthouse standing tall on a rocky cliff, its beacon cutting through the early dawn, waves crash against the rocks below
Sora
Prompt: Drone view of waves crashing against the rugged cliffs along Big Sur’s garay point beach. The crashing blue waters create white-tipped waves, while the golden light of the setting sun illuminates the rocky shore. A small island with a lighthouse sits in the distance, and green shrubbery covers the cliff’s edge. The steep drop from the road down to the beach is a dramatic feat, with the cliff’s edges jutting out over the sea. This is a view that captures the raw beauty of the coast and the rugged landscape of the Pacific Coast Highway.
What do you think?