Hailuo AI Review: The Viral Kitty Olympics Video Explained

A few months ago, I stumbled on a viral “Kitty Olympics” video. It looked like a full-on cinematic production (cats sprinting, leaping, and flipping like trained athletes).

My first thought was, “Who in the world filmed this?” Turns out, nobody did. It was made with Hailuo AI’s 02 model.

That discovery sent me down a rabbit hole. If an AI could create something that entertaining and real in minutes, I wanted to see what else it could do.

With short-form video taking over social media (73% of consumers are turning to short-form videos when looking for products or services), tools like this aren’t just novelties. They’re becoming essential.

So, I gave Hailuo AI a try for myself and made this realistic video of a man leaning against a car with a text prompt and a few minutes of my time:

My take? Hailuo AI is a powerful and affordable tool for creating cinematic-quality short videos in minutes. It has strong prompt understanding, multilingual support, and a user-friendly interface.

In this Hailuo AI review, I’ll discuss the pros and cons, what it is, who it’s best for, and its key features. Then, I’ll show you how I used Hailuo AI to generate the video of a man leaning against his car.

I’ll finish the article by comparing Hailuo AI with my top three alternatives (Synthesia, HeyGen, and Deepbrain AI). By the end, you’ll know if Hailuo AI is right for you!

Verdict

Hailuo AI is a powerful and affordable tool for creating cinematic-quality short videos in minutes. It has strong prompt understanding, multilingual support, and a user-friendly interface. However, it lacks fine-tuning abilities and advanced features for technical or longer videos.

What is Hailuo AI?

Hailuo AI is an AI video generator developed by Minimax that turns text prompts and images into realistic videos in minutes. It makes video creation accessible and effortless for anyone, from content creators to marketers and educators.

Hailuo V2

Hailuo V2 was released on June 18, 2025. The jump to 1080p HD output was exactly what people needed for social media and professional video creation.

The enhanced features they added also made the workflow smoother. That meant less time fiddling with settings and more time getting actual work done.

What makes Hailuo stand out isn’t that it’s the most advanced AI video tool out there. It’s that they’ve nailed the balance between capability and simplicity.

Sometimes you don’t need every feature. You just need something that works when you need it to work.

Overall, Hailuo AI combines deep learning and artificial intelligence to streamline and democratize content creation. Anyone can easily create compelling stories and promotional media without traditional video production skills.

Who is Hailuo AI Best For?

Here are the types of people who get the most out of using Hailuo AI:

Content creators can use Hailuo AI to quickly make realistic short clips for social media.
Marketers and advertisers can use Hailuo AI to generate product teasers, promotional clips, and B-roll footage without expensive film shoots.
Educators can use Hailuo AI to turn lecture notes into visual aids and explainer videos.
Designers can use Hailuo AI to create video prototypes and draft client concepts.
Small businesses can use Hailuo AI to create video content on a budget.
AI enthusiasts and prompt engineers can use Hailuo AI to push creative boundaries with advanced features like Director Mode.
AI enthusiasts and prompt engineers can use Hailuo AI to control camera movements and explore creative ideas with features like Director Mode.

Hailuo AI Key Features

Here are the Hailuo AI features to be aware of:

Image-to-Video Generation: Turn any photo (up to 20MB) into a realistic video with smooth camera moves and transitions. Add text prompts to shape the animation and create custom scenes.
Text-to-Video: Enter a prompt, and the AI creates a short video with matching visuals and scenes. It follows detailed directions, such as camera angles and mood.
Image Generation: Turn text into high-quality images.
Lip-Sync & Voiceovers: Sync character mouth movements to voice tracks.
High-Quality Outputs: Creates cinematic videos in 768p to 1080p.
Physics & Motion Engine: Built-in physics simulation makes objects, characters, and environments move realistically.
Character Consistency: Maintains the same character look across different scenes.
Integration with Prompt Tools: Works with editors and APIs like FocalML for more control.
Multilingual Input: Supports multiple languages.
Desktop & App Accessibility: Accessible on desktop and mobile.
Customizable Agent Templates: Premade agent templates are editable to make video creation faster.

How to Use Hailuo AI

Here’s how I used Hailuo AI to generate a realistic AI video of a man leaning against a car:

Visit Hailuo AI
Explore the Video Tab for Inspiration
Explore the Agent Templates
Use the Prompt Suggestions
Create a Video from the Prompt

Step 1: Visit Hailuo AI

I started by going to hailuoai.video. At the top were some AI tools Hailuo offers:

There’s even a built-in AI image generator where you can describe an image you want to create, and Hailuo AI will generate it for you.

Step 2: Explore the Video Tab for Inspiration

Further down on the homepage were some videos that could be downloaded or recreated with a single click.

Step 3: Explore the Agent Templates

The “Agent” tab contained prebuilt video templates to generate videos in specific styles. It’s a quick way to create automated videos.

Step 4: Use the Prompt Suggestions

Back in the AI video generator, I wanted to add a text prompt to the empty field. Alternatively, I could upload an image and convert it into a video by providing some instructions.

In my case, I had no idea what I wanted to create. However, Hailuo provides hints (prompt suggestions) that I could click to automatically populate the prompt field.

Step 5: Create a Video from the Prompt

I selected the hint that stood out to me the most: “A man leans on a retro car,” and it populated the empty field with the following prompt:

“A gentleman leans on a retro-futuristic car under a streetlight, zooming out revealing classic design elements in a timeless, nostalgic style.”

It also automatically added a reference image. I could edit the prompt exactly how I wanted.

Once I was happy with everything, I hit “Create Video.”

After creating an account, Hailuo AI began generating my video. A few minutes later, my video was complete! It was six seconds long.

Once my video was generated, I could recreate, download, share, or post it. Unfortunately, there was no way to edit it manually.

Overall, I was impressed by how easy the process was and how quickly Hailuo was able to generate a realistic video.

Top 3 Hailuo AI Alternatives

Here are the best Hailuo AI alternatives I’d recommend:

Synthesia

The first Hailuo AI alternative I’d recommend is Synthesia. It creates professional HD AI videos with customizable avatars and 120+ languages.

On the one hand, Synthesia stands out with its customizable AI avatars and avatar-based video creation. The videos created with Synthesia are best for corporate training, tutorials, and personalized messaging. It supports video lengths up to 360 minutes per year (or unlimited on the Enterprise plan) and in-depth customization for avatars.

Meanwhile, Hailuo AI stands out with the cinematic videos it generates. It features dynamic lighting, smooth camera movements, and physics-based animations. It effortlessly creates realistic short clips often used in social media and marketing.

For longer professional avatar videos with dubbing in multiple languages, use Synthesia. For short cinematic videos that look real, use Hailuo AI.

Read my Synthesia review or visit Synthesia!

HeyGen

The next Hailuo AI alternative I’d recommend is HeyGen. HeyGen creates AI avatar videos with lip-syncing and supports over 175 languages. It’s great for marketers and content creators who want to create personalized avatar-based content.

HeyGen stands out with the ability to create avatars and fully customizable video templates, along with strong API access for seamless integration into existing workflows. It’s a great tool for generating avatar videos for marketing, training, and social media campaigns.

Meanwhile, Hailuo AI allows you to create any video you can imagine with a simple text prompt. The videos are short with cinematic effects and realistic motion. It’s an incredible tool for creating professional clips from text or images for social media and marketing.

Choose HeyGen to create AI videos with customizable avatars that speak 175+ languages. Otherwise, choose Hailuo AI for cinematic storytelling with advanced motion and lighting.

Read my HeyGen review or visit HeyGen!

Deepbrain AI

The final Hailuo AI alternative I’d recommend is Deepbrain AI. It’s another AI video generator that creates realistic talking heads with natural speech, lip-sync, and expressions. It’s commonly used for marketing and e-learning.

Deepbrain AI comes with impressively realistic avatars. It also offers extensive support for 150+ languages.

Meanwhile, Hailuo AI shines with its cinematic quality and “Director Mode” for exact control over camera movements and scene composition.

Choose Deepbrain AI for realistic avatar videos with emotional impact. Otherwise, choose Hailuo AI for fast, cinematic videos from text and images.

Read my Deepbrain AI review or visit Deepbrain AI!

Hailuo AI Review: The Right Tool For You?

After spending time with Hailuo AI, I was impressed by its simplicity and speed. I didn’t need to tweak endless settings to generate a video that looked real and as if it were professionally shot. The cinematic quality, smooth motion, and natural feel of the videos were more than enough!

While it isn’t the tool for long-form or technical projects, it’s perfect when you just need short, realistic clips. Otherwise, you may want to try these alternatives:

Synthesia is best for corporate training, tutorials, and long-form professional videos with customizable avatars.
HeyGen is best for marketers who want customizable avatar videos with lip-sync and 175+ language support.
Deepbrain AI is best for realistic talking-head videos with a strong emotional connection.

Thanks for reading my Hailuo AI review! I hope you found it helpful.

Hailuo AI offers a free plan where you can create 6-second videos in 768p. Try it for yourself and see how you like it!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hailuo AI free or paid?

Hailuo AI offers both free and paid plans. On the free plan, you can generate 6-second videos in 768p. Meanwhile, the paid plans include more credits, faster generation, watermark removal, and more.

Is Hailuo Chinese?

Yes, Hailuo AI is a Chinese AI video creation platform developed by MiniMax, a Shanghai-based artificial intelligence company founded in 2021. MiniMax is recognized as a leading Chinese AI company backed by major investors like Alibaba and Tencent.

What can Hailuo AI do?

Hailuo AI is an AI video generator that converts prompts and images into realistic animated videos.

Is Hailuo AI any good?

Hailuo AI quickly creates high-quality videos with realistic motion, making it a great tool for content creators and marketers. However, occasional glitches mean it can’t fully replace traditional video production yet.

Is Hailuo AI safe to use?

Hailuo AI is safe to use, with standard security measures in place to protect user data and privacy. However, like many AI platforms, be mindful of account sharing and access management to avoid suspicious activity. Overall, it is a reliable platform when used responsibly.

What country is Hailuo AI from?

Hailuo AI is developed by MiniMax, an artificial intelligence company headquartered in Shanghai, China.

What is Hailuo AI used for?

Hailuo AI turns prompts and images into cinematic-quality animated videos. It’s often used for creating marketing videos, educational videos, and social media content.

Who is behind Hailuo AI?

Hailuo AI is developed by MiniMax, a Shanghai-based AI company founded in 2021.