Meta, the company that owns Facebook, announced on Friday the creation of a new AI model called “Movie Gen.” This tool can generate realistic videos and audio clips based on user requests.
Meta claims that this technology is as advanced as similar tools developed by major companies like OpenAI and ElevenLabs. To showcase its abilities, Meta shared examples of videos featuring animals swimming and surfing. The tool can also use real photos of people and depict them doing activities such as painting.
In a blog post, Meta explained that Movie Gen can add background music and sound effects to match the video content. Additionally, it can edit existing videos. In one example, the tool added pom-poms to a man’s hands as he ran alone in the desert. In another, it transformed a dry parking lot where a man was skateboarding into one covered in splashing puddles.
Movie Gen videos can last up to 16 seconds
Meta shared that videos created by Movie Gen can be up to 16 seconds long, while the audio can last as long as 45 seconds. According to blind test data, Movie Gen competes well with tools from companies like Runway, OpenAI, ElevenLabs, and Kling.
This announcement comes as Hollywood deals with the growing use of AI video technology. Earlier this year, OpenAI, with Microsoft’s support, introduced its own AI tool, Sora, which can produce cinematic videos from text prompts.
While many in the entertainment industry are excited about using AI to enhance and speed up filmmaking, concerns persist over the potential use of copyrighted content without permission. Lawmakers are also raising alarms about AI-generated fake videos, known as deepfakes, and their impact on elections around the world, including in the U.S., India, and Indonesia.
Meta’s Movie Gen not yet available to developers
Meta has decided not to make Movie Gen available to developers at this time, unlike its Llama language models, which were released for open use. Meta is carefully assessing the risks of each model and has chosen not to reveal specifics about Movie Gen’s risk analysis.
For now, Meta is collaborating with entertainment professionals and content creators to explore creative uses of the tool. The company plans to integrate Movie Gen into its products next year. To develop the tool, Meta used data from both licensed sources and publicly available content, as detailed in a blog post and research paper outlining the tool’s capabilities.