Google DeepMind’s upgraded Veo 3 model is coming to YouTube Shorts, promising more AI-powered short videos.
Veo 3 is coming to YouTube Shorts
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan has confirmed that its popular Shorts feature will get an AI upgrade “later this summer”. The platform plans to integrate Google DeepMind’s latest Veo 3 video generation model into Shorts.
Veo 3 builds on the previous Veo 2 model that already powers YouTube’s Dream Screen tool. That tool lets users add AI-generated green screen backgrounds and clips to their Shorts.
What is Veo 3?
Veo 3 is Google DeepMind’s latest and most advanced AI video generation model to date. It promises higher video quality, better creative control, more realism, and adds audio. The result? AI videos that further blurs the line between authentic and AI-generated content.
What can creators expect?
Whether Shorts will get the full functionality of Veo 3 is still unclear. YouTube hasn’t confirmed whether creators will be able to use it to generate complete Shorts videos from scratch, or if it will simply enhance the existing Dream Screen capabilities. However, Mohan did emphasise that Veo 3 “improves video quality and incorporates audio”, and so this will presumably come to Shorts in one way or another.
We also don’t know whether these Veo 3 Shorts features will be available for free, considering you need a paid subscription to Google’s AI Pro or AI Ultra plans to access Veo 3. There’s also no word on whether these features will be limited to Shorts or expanded to longer-form content.
Is this good news?
Mohan is “excited by the potential of AI tools to empower human creativity”, and there’s no doubt that Veo 3 could help creators produce polished, realistic content more easily. But, it could also make it easier to churn out slop content such as low value, brainrot-style videos.
This is already a concern amongst platforms, as AI has undoubtedly made it easier to flood feeds with low-effort AI-generated clips. With tools like Veo 3, the line between creativity and content pollution could blur even further.
There is no doubt that this tech could help musicians, indie artists, and content creators easily make promotional content without the cost and time of video production. But, when put in the hands of everyone, the doors are open for anyone to make more poor content.
The bigger picture
Mohan also announced that Shorts now brings in over 200 billion views daily. Not only does this show the reach of short form content on YouTube, but also the reach of these AI-generated clips. While some may enjoy this content, other viewers will be left wondering where to draw the line.
Today, I’m excited to share a new milestone: YouTube Shorts are now averaging over 200 billion daily views!
Neal Mohan, YouTube CEO via Cannes Lions 2025
Regardless, now’s the time for creators to start thinking about how AI might fit into your content strategy as Veo 3 is confirmed to be coming to YouTube Shorts “later this summer”.
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