Meta has introduced a cutting-edge AI video tool called Movie Gen that creates high-definition videos from simple text prompts, complete with sound and various visual effects.
While Meta’s new tool isn’t available for public use yet, it promises significant potential in video creation and editing.
Movie Gen leverages AI to generate completely new videos or modify existing footage and images. The AI can even create audio that matches the visuals, adding ambient sounds, effects, and music to complement the generated scenes. These videos can be created in different aspect ratios, catering to a range of needs from social media to professional production.
In one demonstration, Meta showed how Movie Gen could transform a still image into a dynamic video. A simple headshot of a woman was turned into a short clip where she appears seated in a pumpkin patch, casually sipping a drink. This example highlights the tool’s ability to seamlessly blend AI-generated video with real-world imagery.
In addition to creating new content, Movie Gen is designed to edit existing footage. Meta demonstrated this by altering an illustrated video of a runner. In one version, the runner is shown holding pompoms; in another, the background changes to a desert landscape, and in yet another, the runner dons a dinosaur costume. These changes are made using nothing but text prompts, offering limitless creative possibilities for users.
AI-driven video generation has rapidly evolved over the past two years, with major tech players like Google and OpenAI joining the race alongside innovative startups. However, despite Movie Gen‘s promising features, Meta’s chief product officer, Chris Cox, mentioned that the tool is still not ready for public release. He noted that the technology is currently expensive and takes too long to produce videos.
As with AI image generators, video generators like Movie Gen have raised concerns about ethical use and content ownership. Similar platforms have been criticized for using vast amounts of online content without permission. Meta claims that Movie Gen was trained using a mix of licensed and publicly available datasets, but specifics remain unclear.
There are also concerns from creators in industries like film, photography, and writing, as AI tools continue to encroach on traditional forms of creative work. The growing use of AI has even played a key role in recent industry strikes, such as those led by SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America.
With advancements like Movie Gen, the future of video production may change dramatically, but it’s clear that conversations around ethical implications and the impact on creative professionals will continue.
