YouTube Shorts Gets an AI Upgrade with Veo 2
YouTube is making it even easier for creators to bring their ideas to life with the latest upgrade to Dream Screen. Last year, YouTube introduced this AI-powered feature, allowing users to generate unique backgrounds for Shorts with just a text prompt. Since then, creators have used it for everything from fun learning experiences to creative remixes.
Now, Dream Screen is getting a serious upgrade with the integration of Google DeepMind’s newest video generation model, Veo 2. This means even more powerful AI-driven capabilities, including a brand-new feature: the ability to generate standalone video clips that can be added to any Short.
Need a specific scene but don’t have the footage? Want to bring an idea to life in a way that’s never been possible before? Simply enter a text prompt, and Veo 2 will generate a video clip that seamlessly fits into your story—or helps you create an entirely new one.
With Veo 2, Dream Screen can produce high-quality videos across a wide range of subjects and styles, making it easier than ever to match a creative vision. It also now generates videos faster, with improved realism thanks to a better understanding of real-world physics and human movement. Creators can even specify styles, lenses, or cinematic effects for a more polished final product.
How to Use These New Features
- To create a video background for Shorts: Open the Shorts camera, select Green Screen, then Dream Screen. Enter a prompt, select an image, and create a video background.
- To generate a clip to add to any Short: Open the Shorts camera, tap Add to open the media picker, then tap Create at the top. After entering a prompt, select an image, tap Create video, and choose the desired length.
All AI-generated content includes SynthID watermarks and clear labels to indicate its AI origin.
These features are rolling out now in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, with plans to expand to more regions soon.
With these powerful new tools, YouTube is giving creators even more ways to turn their ideas into reality—right from a smartphone.