As expected after days of leaks and rumors online, Google has done this reveals I Spy 3.1its latest AI video generation model, which brings a lot of creative and technical improvements geared toward improving narrative control, audio integration and realism in AI-generated videos.
While the updates expand possibilities for hobbyists and content creators using Google's online AI creation app, FlowThe release also represents a growing opportunity for firms, developers and inventive teams on the lookout for scalable, customizable video tools.
The quality is higher, the physics are higher, the costs are the identical as before, and the control and editing features are more robust and diverse.
My first tests showed that it’s a robust and powerful model that immediately delights every generation. However, the look is more cinematic, more polished and a bit more “artificial” than standard than competitors like OpenAI's recent Sora 2, released late last month, which could also be what a selected user goes for (Sora excels at handheld and “open” style videos).
Advanced control over narration and audio
Veo 3.1 builds on its predecessor Veo 3 (already published in May 2025) with improved support for dialogue, ambient sounds and other audio effects.
Native audio generation is now available for several key features in Flow, including Frames to Video, Ingredients to Video, and Extend, each of which supplies users the power to: convert still images to video; Use elements, characters and objects from multiple images in a single video. and create longer clips than the primary 8 seconds, as much as greater than 30 seconds, and even 1+ plus when continuing from the last frame of a previous clip.
Previously, you had so as to add audio manually after using these features.
This addition gives users greater control over tone, emotion and storytelling – skills that previously required post-production work.
In enterprise contexts, this level of control can reduce the necessity for separate audio pipelines and supply an integrated option to create training content, marketing videos, or digital experiences with synchronized sound and vision.
Google noted in a blog post that the updates reflect user feedback calling for deeper artistic control and improved audio support. Gallegos emphasizes the importance of enabling edits and refinements directly in Flow, without having to transform scenes from scratch.
More extensive input and editing options
With Veo 3.1, Google introduces support for multiple input types and more granular control over generated output. The model accepts text prompts, images and video clips as input and likewise supports:
-
Reference images (up to 3) to find out the look and magnificence in the ultimate output
-
Interpolation of the primary and last frames to generate seamless scenes between fixed endpoints
-
Scene expansion This will proceed the motion or movement of a video beyond the present duration
The aim of those tools is to present business users the chance to optimize the looks of their content – useful for brand consistency or adhering to creative specifications.
Additional features resembling Insert (adding objects to scenes) and Remove (deleting elements or characters) are also being introduced, although not all are immediately available via the Gemini API.
Cross-platform deployment
Veo 3.1 will be accessed through several of Google's existing AI services:
-
FlowGoogle's own interface for AI-powered filmmaking
-
Gemini APIis geared toward developers who integrate video functions into applications
-
Vertex AIwhere enterprise integration will soon support Veo's “Scene Extension” and other key features
Availability through these platforms allows enterprise customers to decide on the suitable environment – GUI-based or programmatic – based on their teams and workflows.
Prices and access
The Veo 3.1 model is currently available preview and only available on the paid level the Gemini API. The cost structure is similar as Veo 3, the previous generation of Google's AI video models.
-
Standard model: $0.40 per second of video
-
Fast model: $0.15 per second
There isn’t any free tier and users are only charged when a video is successfully created. This model is consistent with previous Veo versions and offers predictable pricing for budget-conscious enterprise teams.
Technical specifications and output control
Veo 3.1 outputs video under 720p or 1080p resolutionwith a 24 fps frame rate.
Duration options include: 4, 6 or 8 seconds from a text prompt or uploaded images, with the power to expand videos as much as 148 seconds (over two and a half minutes!) when using the “Extend” function.
New features also include tighter control over subjects and environments. For example, firms can upload a product image or visual reference, and Veo 3.1 will generate scenes that maintain the looks and magnificence characteristics throughout the video. This could streamline creative production pipelines for retail, promoting and virtual content production teams.
First reactions
The broader creator and developer community has responded to the launch of Veo 3.1 with a mixture of optimism and tempered criticism – particularly in comparison to competing models like OpenAI's Sora 2.
Matt Shumer An AI founder from Otherside AI/Hyperwrite and early adopter described his initial response as “disappointment,” noting that Veo 3.1 is “noticeably worse than Sora 2” and likewise “a bit costlier.”
However, he acknowledged that Google's tools – resembling reference support and scene expansion – are a shiny spot in the discharge.
Travis Davidsa 3D digital artist and AI content creator, partially shared this opinion. While he noted improvements in audio quality, particularly sound effects and dialogue, he expressed concerns about the restrictions that also exist within the system.
These include the dearth of custom voice support, the lack to directly select generated voices, and the continued cap on 8-second generations – despite some public claims about longer outputs.
Davids also identified that character consistency still requires careful prompting when camera angles change, whereas other models like Sora 2 handle this more robotically. He questioned the dearth of 1080p resolution for users of paid plans like Flow Pro and expressed skepticism about feature parity.
On a positive note, @kimmonism, An AI newsletter author stated that “Veo 3.1 is amazing,” but still concluded that OpenAI’s latest model was still preferable overall.
Overall, these first impressions suggest that while Veo 3.1 offers meaningful tool improvements and recent creative control features, expectations have shifted as competitors raise the bar by way of each quality and value.
Acceptance and scope
Since Flow launched five months ago, Google has said over 275 million videos were generated for various Veo models.
The pace of adoption suggests there is robust interest not only from individuals, but additionally from developers and firms experimenting with automated content creation.
Thomas Iljic, Director of Product Management at Google Labs, emphasizes that the discharge of Veo 3.1 brings the features closer to the best way human filmmakers plan and shoot. These include scene composition, continuity between shots, and coordinated sound – all areas that firms are increasingly trying to automate or streamline.
Security and responsible use of AI
Videos created with Veo 3.1 are watermarked using Google SynthID Technology that embeds an imperceptible identifier to signal that the content is AI-generated.
Google applies security filters and moderation in its APIs to reduce privacy and copyright risks. Generated content is temporarily stored and deleted after two days unless downloaded.
For developers and businesses, these features provide assurance of provenance and compliance – critical in regulated or brand-sensitive industries.
Where Veo 3.1 stands in the course of a crowded AI video model space
Veo 3.1 isn't just an iteration of previous models – it represents a deeper integration of multimodal input, storytelling control, and enterprise-level tools. While creative professionals may even see immediate advantages in editing flows and accuracy, firms in search of automation in training, promoting, or virtual experiences may even see even greater profit from composability and accuracy Pull model API support.
Initial user feedback shows that while Veo 3.1 offers invaluable tools, expectations for realism, voice control and generation length are rapidly evolving. As Google expands access through Vertex AI and continues to refine Veo, its competitive position in enterprise video creation will rely on how quickly it addresses these user problems.
