YouTube has introduced Veo 3 fast and a new wave of AI features aimed at making Shorts production faster, more flexible, and more captivating for creators.
Announced during the “Made on YouTube” live event on Tuesday, the update steps up competition with TikTok and Instagram Reels by giving creators more ways to ideate and publish at speed.
A headline addition is Veo 3 Fast, a lighter, low-latency variant of Google DeepMind’s text-to-video system. While it outputs at 480p, it delivers clips with minimal delay and—crucially—now includes sound. With simple prompts, creators can animate still photos, transfer motion between subjects, and layer on distinctive looks such as origami or pop-art styles.
Remixing also gets a boost through Speech to Song, powered by Google’s Lyria 2 music model. Dina Berrada, YouTube’s director of Product for Shorts and Generative AI Creation, framed YouTube as the “world’s largest creative playground” where trends start and sparks fly—like turning a catchy line or memorable quote into a fresh soundtrack. Creators can tailor these tracks by mood—think chill, danceable, or fun—with tests underway and broader U.S. access on the way.
To speed up editing, YouTube is experimenting with Edit with AI, a tool that assembles rough cuts by picking standout moments, layering in music and transitions, and even generating English or Hindi voiceovers that react to on-screen action. It’s currently being trialled on Shorts and within the Create app, with rollouts to additional regions planned.
For now, the new tools are available in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, with worldwide expansion targeted for 2026. To ensure transparency, every AI-generated Short will include SynthID watermarks and clear content labels.
By baking Google’s latest generative models directly into the Shorts workflow, YouTube is lowering barriers to pro-grade production—equipping mobile-first creators to experiment, keep pace, and compete in the fast-evolving short-form arena.
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