Google just threw open the doors to its AI-powered video editor Vids, making it free for everyone after months behind the paywall of Workspace subscriptions. The move signals Google's aggressive push to democratize AI video creation tools as competition heats up in the enterprise content space, with new AI avatar features and automated editing capabilities that could reshape how businesses create video content.
Google is making its biggest play yet in the AI video creation wars. The tech giant just announced it's rolling out a free version of Vids, its AI-powered video editor that until now required expensive Workspace or AI plan subscriptions. The move puts professional-grade video creation tools in the hands of millions of users, setting up a direct challenge to established players in the enterprise video space.
"Google is rolling out a basic version of Vids to everyone," product director Vishnu Sivaji told The Verge. The free tier includes templates, stock media, and what Sivaji calls "a subset of AI capabilities" - though notably missing the premium AI features that paying customers get.
The timing couldn't be more strategic. Launched just last year, Vids represents Google's answer to the exploding demand for AI-assisted content creation in the enterprise market. The platform specializes in helping users quickly assemble video presentations with AI-driven storyboarding, scene suggestions, and automated background music selection.
But it's the new AI avatar feature that's generating the most buzz. Users can now select from 12 pre-made digital presenters, each with distinct appearances and voices, then simply input their script. The avatars handle the rest, delivering polished presentations without the need for human talent or studio time. However, unlike Zoom's offering, Google isn't yet allowing users to create personalized avatars of themselves - a feature that's become surprisingly popular among tech CEOs.
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When pressed about custom avatar creation, Sivaji remained coy, saying Google doesn't "have any further updates to share" on that front. It's a notable gap considering Zoom already offers this capability, suggesting Google may be holding back premium features for its paid tiers.
The platform is also expanding its video generation capabilities with new image-to-video functionality. Users can now create 8-second video clips that incorporate specific images - perfect for product demonstrations or marketing content. Additionally, Google's rolling out an AI-powered transcript trimmer that automatically identifies and removes filler words and awkward pauses from recorded presentations.
