Google Unveils Veo 3, AI Video Tool with Sound Effects

Google has launched its latest AI video generation tool, Veo 3, which is designed to compete with OpenAI's Sora. The new tool, unveiled on Tuesday, has the capability to generate videos and embed sound effects simultaneously, making it a formidable competitor in the AI video generation market. This development is part of Google's broader strategy to enhance its AI offerings and stay ahead in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.

Veo 3 is not the only AI tool that Google has introduced recently. The company has also updated its image generation and video generation models, including Imagen 4 and Flow. These tools are part of Google's AI creation suite, which aims to provide users with advanced capabilities for generating high-quality visual and audio content. The introduction of Veo 3 further solidifies Google's position as a leader in AI technology, offering users a comprehensive suite of tools for creating and editing multimedia content.

Veo 3 is capable of generating high-quality videos based on text and image prompts, and it can automatically add sound effects such as dialogue and animal sounds, creating a more immersive audio-visual experience. Eli Collins, the vice president of products at Google DeepMind, highlighted the tool's ability to synchronize lip movements and physical effects in the real world, making the generated videos more realistic and engaging.

The tool is currently available to users in the United States, and access is provided through a new subscription plan called Ultra, which costs $249.99 per month. This plan is targeted at AI enthusiasts who require advanced AI tools for their projects. Additionally, Veo 3 will be integrated into Google's Vertex AI platform, which is designed for enterprise customers.

In addition to Veo 3, Google has also introduced several other AI-related products. Imagen 4 is an upgraded image generation model that can create higher-quality and more realistic images based on user prompts. Flow is a filmmaking assistant tool that allows users to describe scenes, camera angles, and style preferences to generate cinematic videos. These tools can be accessed through various Google platforms, including Gemini, Whisk, Vertex AI, and Workspace.

This launch comes at a time when generative AI is becoming increasingly popular in the fields of image and video creation. OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, recently revealed that the image generation feature of ChatGPT 4o was so popular that it caused the company's computing chips to overheat, leading to a temporary restriction on its use.

However, Google's journey in the AI image generation field has not been without challenges. In 2024, the company faced criticism for the historical inaccuracies in the images generated by its Imagen 3 model, leading to a forced re-release of the tool. Co-founder Sergey Brin later admitted that the issue stemmed from "inadequate testing."

In addition to Veo 3, Google has also updated Veo 2, adding the ability to add or remove objects from videos using text prompts. The company has also made its AI music generation model, Lyria 2, available for use by YouTube Shorts creators and Vertex AI enterprise customers.