YouTube is rolling out new creation tools to Shorts, aimed at making short-form content creation easier and more interactive. The update includes a photo-to-video converter, generative effects powered by Veo 2, and an AI Playground that brings together a range of AI-driven creative tools.
New Shorts Creation Tools (July 2025)
Photo-to-Video Tool
Following its availability in Google Photos, the Photo to video feature allows users to transform static images into video clips. Creators can select a photo from their camera roll, apply a creative suggestion, and generate a short video. This can animate landscape photos, add movement to group shots, or bring everyday images to life with motion.
Generative Effects Powered by Veo 2
Shorts now supports generative effects built using Veo 2. These effects can convert simple doodles into stylized visuals or modify selfies with AI-generated elements.
Examples include underwater effects and sibling lookalike filters. These effects are available by tapping the 
Effects icon and then the AI section in the Shorts camera.
AI Playground for Shorts Creation
The AI Playground serves as a central space for exploring and using YouTube’s generative AI tools. It includes content examples, ready-to-use prompts, and tools for generating videos, images, and music. It can be accessed through the Create button, followed by the sparkle icon in the top-right corner.
Sarah Ali, VP of Product Management for YouTube Shorts and Creation Experiences, emphasized that all these tools use SynthID watermarks and clear labels to show the content was AI-generated.
Availability
- Photo-to-Video: Now available and rolling out through the next week in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, with expansion to other regions later this year.
- Generative Effects: Expanding to more creators globally in the coming weeks. Currently, these effects are driven by Veo 2, and Veo 3 is expected to be released this summer.
- AI Playground: Now available in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.