Google Opens Access to Vids, Its AI-Powered Video Editor, to All Users

Google is broadening access to Vids, its AI-powered video editor, moving it beyond Workspace and paid AI subscribers to general availability.

The new rollout gives anyone the ability to create polished video presentations using templates, stock media, and a limited set of AI tools.

Launched last year as the newest addition to Google’s Workspace suite, Vids is designed to simplify video creation for businesses, educators, and individuals. It offers tools to automatically generate storyboards with suggested scenes, stock imagery, and background music, making it easier to produce professional-looking content without specialized editing skills.

Until now, access had been restricted to Google Workspace users and those on Google’s AI subscription plan. But starting this week, a basic version will be available to all users. According to product director Vishnu Sivaji, the free version contains “pretty much all of the amazing capabilities” of the platform but excludes some of the more advanced AI-powered tools.

Among those excluded from the free tier are new features announced Tuesday, including the ability to create an AI-generated avatar to deliver a message. Currently, users can select from 12 pre-made avatars, each with distinct appearances and voices, and pair them with a script. Unlike competitors such as Zoom, which allows users to generate avatars of themselves, Vids does not yet support personalized avatars.

“We don’t have any further updates to share,” Sivaji said when asked if that feature could arrive later.

Google is also extending Vids’ video generation capabilities, allowing users to create short, 8-second videos that highlight a particular image, such as showcasing a product. For users who include their own video recordings in a presentation, Vids can now automatically edit out filler words and pauses, a feature aimed at making amateur recordings appear more polished and professional.

The company sees Vids as a major productivity tool for businesses, particularly in areas such as product demos, training videos, and customer support content.

Sivaji emphasized the cost and time savings compared with traditional production methods: “A 10-minute-long clip with real actors can take as long as six months, and it might be tens of thousands of dollars because of the amount of time it goes into writing the script, iterating on it, getting into the studio, actually recording it, and then editing it,” he said. “What we’re hearing from customers is that it allows them to dramatically scale how many people can make these kinds of videos and how often they can make them.”

The rollout comes as tech companies increasingly push into the AI-powered video creation space. Zoom has leaned into virtual avatars for meetings, while startups like Synthesia and Pictory are gaining traction by offering AI-generated video presentations for businesses. Microsoft has also been building out Copilot-driven video tools in its Office suite, while Adobe has integrated AI video generation into Premiere Pro.

Google is signaling its intention to compete head-on in a fast-growing market where demand for automated, low-cost, scalable video content is soaring by making Vids more widely available. Businesses, educators, and even content creators are seeking ways to cut production costs while still keeping up with the pace of digital communication.

For now, Google is offering the free version as a hook, while reserving the most advanced tools—such as custom AI avatars—for its paying customers. The strategy echoes its broader AI playbook: build widespread adoption first, then upsell advanced features through subscription tiers.

With the global AI video market expected to expand rapidly over the next five years, Google’s push to put Vids in the hands of all users could set the stage for the next competitive front in workplace and creative software.