Google Vids just got AI avatars and photo-to-video

Google wants to make producing a slick video presentation as low-friction as writing a shared doc.

Google just rolled out a major feature expansion for Google Vids, its Workspace video creation app, making AI avatars and image-to-video tools generally available. Along with the updates, Google revealed that Vids has crossed 1 million monthly active users.

No camera, no problem

The most notable addition is the full rollout of AI avatars, originally teased at Google I/O. Instead of forcing employees to set up lighting, overcome camera shyness, and run multiple takes, teams can now paste a script, pick an AI presenter, and let the avatar deliver the message. It is designed squarely for training modules, product demos, and onboarding.

For visuals, Vids is expanding its Veo-powered capabilities. Teams can now upload a static product photo or brand asset, type a prompt, and turn it into an eight-second dynamic clip with native audio. This builds on the earlier rollout of Veo 3 text-to-video generation.

If you do decide to record yourself, you can now clean up the footage via text. The app added automatic transcript trimming, allowing creators to delete filler words and awkward pauses with a couple of clicks. Next month, Google will also bring over Meet-style noise cancellation, virtual backgrounds, and appearance filters.

Access is expanding as well. The basic Vids editor without Gemini is now free for all consumers, while AI-heavy features remain tied to Workspace tiers and Google AI Pro/Ultra plans. Multiple aspect ratios—including portrait and square—are slated for next quarter.

Why it matters

Google Vids is targeting the exact pain point that makes corporate video painful: the massive production overhead for simple internal communication.

For everyday teams, this is worth testing immediately. An HR lead or project manager who previously delayed a safety briefing or client update because shooting video took days can now assemble a usable asset in an hour. By giving basic access away to consumers for free, Google is lowering the barrier to entry significantly.

For the broader AI ecosystem, this puts immense pressure on standalone video and avatar startups like Synthesia and HeyGen. When a company can generate AI avatars and short Veo clips directly inside the Workspace suite they already pay for, justifying third-party AI video subscriptions becomes a tough sell for IT departments.

We think integrating video creation directly into workplace workflows is smart, but Google is moving surprisingly slowly on table-stakes format needs. While eight-second clips powered by Veo are impressive for short brand accents, leaving portrait and square sizing until next quarter feels out of touch. In a modern workplace where updates are increasingly viewed on mobile screens, keeping Vids landscape-only holds it back from truly taking over cross-platform comms.