This week, Google unveiled Veo 2 for YouTube Shorts, which has sparked quite a reaction. To clarify, let’s take a step back.

YouTube Shorts serves as the platform’s response to TikTok. Meanwhile, Veo 2 is Google’s cutting-edge AI solution designed to produce video content. Starting this week, users can leverage this technology to generate clips specifically for YouTube Shorts. This development is poised to significantly transform the landscape of the short-form video content that viewers typically scroll through.

A recent announcement from YouTube detailed that creating Shorts is now as simple as entering a sentence. Users can directly make a Short using footage saved to their mobile devices or through live recording. The new addition allows a third method: producing imaginative yet potentially unsettling video snippets with AI.

“Need a specified scene but lack the right footage?” the announcement queries. “Utilize a text prompt to conjure a video clip that seamlessly integrates into your storyline or explore entirely new realms of content.”

The concept of a “whole new world of content” is particularly uninviting, evoking thoughts of a digital limbo—a place filled with generic placeholders for those who have merely skimmed through life consuming passively.

Naturally, the urge to experiment with this feature was irresistible.

Upon launching the YouTube app, the new functionality was slightly elusive. To generate a clip, one must hit the Add button located in the bottom-left corner. Instead of selecting one of the media files on your device, tap the Create button at the top of the screen. Following this, enter your desired prompt and press Create.

One can only hope this is how it all ends.
Credit: Justin Pot

Four thumbnail options will appear—select one, and the AI will craft a clip to be integrated into your timeline. From there, it can be edited seamlessly into your Short.

Experimenting with this feature multiple times, I primarily focused on the whimsical idea of cats consuming planets. The results were far from realistic in terms of felines or celestial bodies; they more closely resembled the remnants of a dream forgotten than actual video footage. Nonetheless, a video containing the requested themes was produced.

Additionally, there’s a creative approach to utilizing these AI-generated clips as animated backdrops for Shorts. Simply tap the down arrow in the toolbar to expand options, select the Green Screen feature, then opt for the AI-generated sparkle instead of your chosen images. Like before, four thumbnails will be provided to select from, and the chosen one will transform into a looping video. This feature offers a practical use for AI—adding a quick, visually striking element to a video created for fleeting entertainment.

For those who wish to minimize their exposure to YouTube Shorts, guidance is available in various articles, including one on hiding YouTube Shorts from your feed. It’s a topic seemingly explored by numerous outlets across the internet.