YouTube has just rolled out a suite of AI-powered tools for Shorts creators. The platform’s new image-to-video tool can transform any photo from your camera roll into a video clip, complete with movement, animation, and whatever digital wizardry Google’s Veo 2 AI model can conjure.

The concept is straightforward: upload a photo, let AI work its magic, and watch your static image come to life. Based on your uploaded image, the tool suggests adding movement to landscapes, animating everyday objects, or bringing group photos to life.

If this sounds familiar, that’s because it is. Google’s Gemini already offers similar functionality, and Meta’s Edits app has been doing the image-to-video dance for a while now. YouTube is essentially bringing proven technology to its own playground, which makes sense competitively but raises questions about genuine innovation versus imitation.

But this AI integration goes deeper than just animated photos. YouTube’s new AI effects can transform doodles into polished artwork or transform simple selfies into elaborate scenarios.

YouTube has packaged these features in something called AI Playground, accessible through the Create button. The name suggests an experimental approach, which seems appropriate given how rapidly AI capabilities are evolving.

For now, these features are rolling out in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, with broader availability planned for later this year.

You can read more here.