We’ve seen AI generate video for some time now, however far more than Runway or OpenAI’s mannequin, Google’s Veo sequence has been the one to observe. Earlier variations confirmed promise however felt extra like ideas than completed merchandise.
Then Veo 3 dropped.
Native audio, higher physics, greater decision—on paper, it’s an enormous improve. However what does that really appear like? Is all of it simply hype, or is it lastly the sort of AI video that doesn’t scream “made by a mannequin” the second you hit play?
So I ran the identical prompts by each Veo 2 and Veo 3 to see what’s actually modified. Some matchups had been shut. Others weren’t.
What’s Google Veo?
Google Veo is Google’s entry to high-quality AI-generated video. It’s a generative video mannequin that may take your textual content descriptions or nonetheless photos and switch them into full-blown, high-definition video clips. In different phrases: it offers you a option to produce cinematic content material with no need a manufacturing crew.
Not like early AI video instruments that simply loop quick animations, Veo understands precise movie language. You’ll be able to immediate it with issues like “aerial shot of a mountain vary at sundown” or “timelapse of a metropolis waking up,” and it will get what you imply—together with digicam actions, lens kinds, and lighting.
Earlier variations (Veo 1 and Veo 2) launched key options like text-to-video and image-to-video technology, life like movement, and management over cinematic results. It’s additionally constructed for consistency, which means characters, objects, and environments keep coherent over time: a serious problem for many AI video fashions.
You’ll be able to entry it by platforms like Vertex AI, and a few of its inventive instruments are already baked into Google’s consumer-facing merchandise.
What’s New With Google Veo 3?
Veo 3 takes the whole lot from earlier variations and ranges it up, particularly within the areas the place earlier fashions fell quick.
The most important headline? It now generates native audio. That features synced dialogue, Foley sound results, and background music—all robotically constructed into the video output. No extra searching down inventory music or manually syncing sound in put up. It is one of many first main fashions to deal with sound as a part of the technology pipeline, not an afterthought.
Visible high quality additionally will get a critical enhance. Veo 3 helps 4K decision and reveals significantly better physics—issues like lighting, smoke, material motion, and reflections behave extra naturally. This makes the whole lot really feel much less artificial and extra like one thing you’d count on from an precise manufacturing home.
There’s additionally higher scene coherence over time. Earlier variations struggled with character consistency in clips longer than just a few seconds. Veo 3 handles as much as 60 seconds whereas holding issues visually aligned. That’s enormous in case you’re attempting to inform an precise story somewhat than simply generate quick loops.
After which there’s multimodal prompting: now you can feed Veo a mixture of textual content, reference photos, and even tough storyboards. Meaning extra inventive management with no need to be ultra-technical.
Entry-wise, Veo 3 is beginning to roll out extra broadly, however many premium options are tied to paid tiers just like the Google AI Extremely plan. So whereas it’s extra highly effective, it is also shifting into “professional device” territory with subscription-based entry.
Backside line: Veo 3 isn’t nearly flashier visuals. It’s about making AI video technology extra full, extra versatile, and far more usable for critical inventive work…
…a minimum of, on paper. Let’s now see it in motion.
Google Veo 2 vs. Google Veo 3: How Far Did They Come?
100 Males vs. A Gorilla
Google Veo 2
Google Veo 3
Veo 2 will get factors for composition, however the scene lacks depth and selection. The background characters all transfer in the identical robotic means—like NPCs caught in a loop. There’s no audio both, which makes it really feel extra like an idea preview than a completed video.
Veo 3, however, is a unique beast (actually). The audio right here, with the information anchor narrating the scene, provides a layer of realism that Veo 2 simply can’t contact. Physics-wise, it is extra grounded. Actions really feel intentional, and characters behave extra naturally inside the surroundings. It’s much less uncanny valley, extra “this could possibly be actual.”
Barista in a Espresso Store
Google Veo 2
Google Veo 3
Veo 2 truly has stronger framing on this one. The cinematography feels extra grounded, and the lighting is extra atmospheric. However with out audio, the intent of the scene is tough to pin down. You get stress from the barista’s face, however not a lot else.
Veo 3 isn’t as visually polished right here, however it makes up for that with context. The audio fills within the blanks: the way in which the cup hits the counter, the dialogue. It helps you perceive the temper, even when the shot isn’t good. By itself, it appears like an entire clip. Veo 2 appears like a shot record.
A Sliding Into Their DMs Workshop on the Y
Google Veo 2
Google Veo 3
This one’s shut. Veo 2 nails the shot composition. The close-up offers it that indie movie vibe. However once more, it’s lacking audio — which makes it really feel indifferent, like one thing you’d see in a inventory video assortment.
Veo 3 contains audio that provides humor and social cues, however the visuals really feel extra sterile. The plain white background strips away any character. It’s technically stable, however emotionally flat. If Veo 2 had sound, it might’ve taken this spherical.
Gender Reveal Home Explosion
Google Veo 2
Google Veo 3
No contest right here. Veo 3 takes the win. Whereas it’s nonetheless not good (some movement physics are exaggerated), it’s much more plausible than Veo 2, which struggles with motion and continuity. The explosion in Veo 2 appears like a looping GIF. In Veo 3, it appears like a (barely chaotic) occasion.
The Backside Line
Google Veo 3 is a transparent improve in nearly each class that issues: higher realism, physics, context, and total storytelling. Native audio adjustments the sport solely, and longer video coherence opens up precise use circumstances past quick clips.
That stated, Veo 2 isn’t with out its strengths. It generally delivers higher framing, and the shortage of audio could make it simpler to overlay customized sound. However in a world the place realism and readability matter, Veo 3 simply feels extra completed.
These aren’t simply iterations—they’re totally different tiers of polish. Veo 3 is the place AI video begins feeling production-ready… and perhaps even somewhat scary.
