Midjourney Unveils AI-Powered Video Generator
▼ Summary
– Midjourney has launched its first AI video generation tool, allowing users to create short 5-second clips from images or text prompts.
– The tool offers options to extend animations up to 21 seconds and adjust motion settings for subject or camera movement.
– Midjourney’s video generator is accessible via web and Discord, requiring a subscription starting at $10/month, with video generation costing significantly more than images.
– Disney and Universal are suing Midjourney, alleging copyright infringement due to its AI-generated content, particularly its video capabilities.
– Midjourney’s founder describes the video tool as a step toward future models capable of real-time open-world simulations, competing with similar tools from Google, OpenAI, and Meta.
Midjourney has taken a bold step into AI-powered video generation, unveiling its first public release of a tool that transforms static images into short animated clips. The platform now allows users to animate their creations with just a click, offering a glimpse into the future of AI-driven content production.
Currently, the feature works by converting uploaded or AI-generated images into five-second videos through an “animate” button. Users can either rely on a default motion effect or customize the movement by manually describing their desired animation style. For those wanting longer sequences, the tool permits extending clips in four-second increments up to four times, resulting in a maximum length of 21 seconds. Motion intensity can also be adjusted, with options to control whether the camera, subject, or both are in motion.
Access to the video generator is limited to Midjourney’s web platform and Discord server, requiring a paid subscription starting at $10 per month. The company notes that video generation consumes significantly more resources than image creation, estimating costs to be roughly eight times higher per second of footage.
This launch arrives amid legal scrutiny, with Disney and Universal filing a lawsuit against Midjourney over alleged copyright infringement concerns. The entertainment giants argue that the platform’s AI models could replicate protected works without authorization, particularly as the company expands into video generation. Midjourney had previously hinted at its video ambitions earlier this year, prompting further objections from copyright holders.
Despite the controversy, Midjourney’s founder, David Holz, describes this release as an early milestone toward more advanced real-time simulation models. The move places Midjourney alongside tech heavyweights like Google, OpenAI, and Meta, all of whom have introduced their own AI video generators in recent months. As the race for AI-powered video intensifies, Midjourney’s latest innovation signals a new frontier in creative automation.
(Source: The Verge)
