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Gemini Omni and Avatars
Google rolled out two updates to Google Vids in Google Workspace: Gemini Omni for text- and image-to-video generation and conversational editing, and personal avatars that let users create a digital likeness to appear in videos without being recorded on camera.
“Create, edit and star in videos with two Google Vids updates Today, we’re rolling out two new updates to Google Vids to make it easier than ever to create, edit and personalize your videos: Gemini Omni and personal avatars”
Gemini Omni lets users create and edit video clips by describing what they want in plain language, and it can combine text prompts with image references like a photo or rough sketch to generate a video that incorporates both inputs.
Editing is handled through a chat-based, step-by-step interface that can swap backgrounds, adjust lighting, or add effects to footage shot on users’ own devices without starting from scratch.
Personal avatars are created by uploading a selfie and a short voice recording, and once created the avatar can deliver typed messages as a video.
Google says personal avatars are linked to a user’s Google Account and restricted to the account holder’s own likeness, with access limited to users in certain regions who are 18 or older.
Step-by-step editing
Google said Gemini Omni supports step-by-step edits, allowing users to refine generated clips or footage shot on their own devices by using conversational prompts to swap backgrounds, adjust lighting, or add effects.
In Google’s description, users can start with a simple text prompt in natural language and add image references like a photo or a rough sketch, and Omni mixes the inputs to generate a video that matches the user’s vision.
Google also described that chat-based editing applies changes to a video without starting over from scratch, including when refining a clip generated with Omni or a clip shot on a phone.
The TechCrunch report framed the update as moving Google Vids beyond its original role as an AI-assisted workplace presentation tool toward an all-in-one video creation platform.
TechCrunch added that Google said the new AI avatars will be tied to the account holder’s likeness, tied to their Google account, and watermarked invisibly with SynthID.
Access, watermarking, and competition
Google’s rollout specifies that Gemini Omni and personal avatars are available in Google Vids for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers and Google Workspace business customers, while personal avatars are currently limited to users in certain regions who are 18 or older.
“Google announced a major update for Google Vids: you can now create and edit AI-generated videos simply by describing the changes you want to make”
Google said the transparency mechanism for AI-generated clips is an invisible SynthID digital watermark embedded by Google DeepMind, allowing verification that the content was AI-generated.
The TechCrunch report said the updates push Google Vids beyond its original role as an AI-assisted workplace presentation tool to become more of an all-in-one video creation platform.
TechCrunch also placed the update in a competitive context, saying personalized avatars and conversational edits could put Google Vids in closer competition with other AI video startups and tools like HeyGen, Synthesia, Captions, D-ID, and others.
In Google’s own announcement, the company said it wants users to feel confident sharing what they create, and that SynthID lets people verify that a video was created with AI.
