Meta Platforms Inc., Facebook’s parent company, has introduced a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool called Movie Gen, which allows users to generate or edit videos using simple text prompts. This move positions Meta in the growing race for AI supremacy, competing with other tech giants like OpenAI and Google.
Movie Gen is designed to create videos up to 16 seconds long based on written instructions. It can also enhance existing videos with AI-generated audio or create videos from photos, incorporating real people into customized clips. While still in its testing phase, the tool is only accessible to a select group of internal employees and a few external partners, including filmmakers. Meta aims to integrate Movie Gen into its popular platforms, such as Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, sometime next year.
Connor Hayes, Meta’s vice president of generative AI products, explains that while the tool holds potential for boosting user engagement and creativity, the company is still refining how it will be integrated into its apps. According to Hayes, Movie Gen is intended to be enjoyable for creators and beneficial for engagement, but a final product plan is yet to be confirmed.
Meta’s focus on AI-generated videos comes at a time when other tech leaders are also exploring this area. OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, recently introduced its own video generation tool, Sora, which can create up to one-minute-long videos, though it’s not yet publicly available. DeepMind, a subsidiary of Google, has developed its own video AI, Veo, which launched earlier this year.
One of the challenges Meta faces before releasing Movie Gen to the broader public is improving the tool’s efficiency. Currently, generating a video can take several minutes — far too long for most consumers, particularly those using smartphones. Moreover, the company is addressing significant ethical concerns. Personalized videos, for example, could be misused to create offensive or misleading content without someone’s consent. Hayes stressed that ensuring responsible usage and preventing misuse, such as the creation of deepfakes, is a top priority.
AI has become a central focus for Meta, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasizing its role in driving user engagement and revenue growth. In the near term, AI has already contributed to improving content recommendation algorithms, making it easier for users to discover relevant posts and advertisements. Looking ahead, Zuckerberg envisions AI playing a much larger role in powering Meta’s applications and future products, such as smart glasses and other wearable technologies.
