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Google trims costs and boosts Veo 3 video capabilities
Google has rolled out a major update for its Veo 3 family of video-generation models, announcing price reductions and new output features in the Gemini API. Both Veo 3 and Veo 3 Fast are now considered stable for scaled production use, signaling their move out of experimental status and into broader commercial deployment.
Pricing changes: cheaper AI video and audio generation
The most immediate change is cost. Veo 3 video and audio output now costs $0.40 per second, down from $0.75 per second. Veo 3 Fast has seen an even steeper cut, from $0.40 per second to $0.15 per second. According to Google, these new rates are effective immediately, lowering the barrier for creators, studios, and enterprises testing AI-driven video workflows.
New format and quality options
Vertical video support (9:16)
Responding to mobile-first demand, both Veo 3 and Veo 3 Fast now support the 9:16 aspect ratio. Developers can generate vertical content optimized for social platforms by setting the "aspectRatio" parameter to "9:16," enabling more native delivery for Reels, Shorts, and Stories formats.
Higher-resolution output (1080p)
While Veo 3 architecture is capable of 4K, its Gemini API implementation was initially capped at 720p. With this update, the models can produce 1080p output when the "resolution" parameter is set to "1080p." Note that the enhanced 1080p option is currently available for the 16:9 aspect ratio only.
Features, comparisons, and advantages
Veo 3, introduced at Google I/O 2025, was widely positioned as a response to advances from competitors like OpenAI's Sora. Compared with Veo 2, Veo 3 improves creative control, realism, physics modeling, and adherence to prompts. Key features include image-to-video conversion and native, synchronized audio generation — useful for rapid prototyping, automated content creation, and interactive media.
Veo 3 Fast prioritizes speed and lower cost, making it ideal for large-scale or real-time workflows where throughput matters more than the absolute highest fidelity.
Use cases and market relevance
These changes matter for developers, advertisers, social platforms, and media companies experimenting with generative AI video. Lower pricing and vertical-format support make Veo 3 attractive for short-form social clips, ad creatives, automated video summaries, and in-app features. Veo 3 already powers features like eight-second videos in Gemini, Google Vids, Flow, and the "Photo to video" capability in Google Photos, and its availability expanded from an initial 70 countries to 140 regions.
Deployment and availability
Google launched a paid public preview of Veo 3 for the Gemini API and Vertex AI in July. With the models now marked stable for scaled production, businesses and creators can more confidently integrate AI video generation into production pipelines, content engines, and consumer-facing apps.
Overall, the update reduces costs, opens up vertical and 1080p formats, and consolidates Veo 3's role as a production-ready option in the expanding generative AI video market.
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