Google added Gemini Omni and personal avatars to its Google Vids service on July 16, 2026, expanding automated video creation and editing capabilities across the platform.
The Gemini Omni feature allows users to generate video clips using natural language text prompts alongside image inputs such as photos or rough sketches. Google said Omni combines those references to generate clips matching the user's description. The system also supports step-by-step editing via chat commands, letting users modify phone-recorded video or generated content. Users can adjust lighting, swap backgrounds, or add visual effects through written instructions without starting a video project over.
A second update introduces personal avatars designed to deliver spoken messages without requiring a video camera. Users create an avatar by uploading a selfie and a short voice recording, then typing out a script for the digital persona to present. Google restricts avatar creation to the account holder's likeness, linking each avatar directly to the user's Google Account. Access to personal avatars is limited to users aged 18 or older in certain regions.
Access and Watermarking
The releases follow the rollout of the Veo 3.1 video model to all Vids users in February, coming after subscribers generated millions of videos over the past year. Google has made Gemini Omni and personal avatars available to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers, as well as Google Workspace business customers.
To identify generated media, Google embeds an invisible SynthID digital watermark into every AI-created clip. The digital mark allows viewers to verify whether content was produced using automated AI systems.
