Google Veo 3 AI Video Stuns With Lifelike Realism

The phrase "We're so cooked" is echoing across the internet, and it perfectly captures the awe and apprehension surrounding Google's latest AI marvel.

Screenshot from AI-generated video. Credit: The Dor Brothers / YouTube

The Dawn of Hyperrealistic AI Video Introducing Veo 3

At the Google I/O 2025 event on May 20, Google unveiled Veo 3, a new AI video generation model capable of creating 8-second video clips. Almost immediately, AI artists and filmmakers began showcasing astonishingly realistic videos. It's entirely possible you've encountered these AI-generated videos on your social media feeds without even realizing their origin.

To put it plainly: Veo 3 is unlike anything seen before. It's impressive, certainly, but also a bit frightening. And the technology is only poised to improve.

For years, misinformation experts have warned of a future where distinguishing AI-generated video from reality would be impossible for the average person. With Veo 3, it seems we've crossed that threshold, stepping out of the uncanny valley into a new era where AI videos are an undeniable fact of life.

What Makes Veo 3 a Game Changer

While other AI video generators exist, such as Sora from OpenAI, Veo 3 clips possess a distinct quality that makes them stand out. This new model introduces several key innovations. Crucially, Veo 3 doesn't just generate video; it also produces accompanying audio and dialogue. It offers not just photorealism, but fully realized soundscapes and conversations. Furthermore, Veo 3 can maintain consistent characters across different video clips, and users have unprecedented control to fine-tune camera angles, framing, and movements. The results have left many social media users astounded.

A tweet regarding Veo 3 was previously embedded here, but it is currently unavailable or may have been removed.

Veo 3 is now accessible through Google's paid AI plans. Users can find the tool within Gemini, Google's AI chatbot, and in Flow, described by Google as an “AI filmmaking tool built for creatives, by creatives.”

Already, AI filmmakers are leveraging Veo 3 to produce short films, and it's likely only a matter of time before we see a full-length feature film powered by this technology.

Creative Breakthroughs AI Filmmakers Embrace Veo 3

Across platforms like X, YouTube, Instagram, and Reddit, users are sharing impressive Veo 3 creations. If you're casually scrolling, you might not even question their authenticity.

The short film "Influenders" is one of the most shared examples. Created by Yonatan Dor, founder of The Dor Brothers AI visual studio, the film depicts influencers reacting to an unexplained cataclysm in the background. It has garnered hundreds of thousands of views.

"Yes, we used Google Veo 3 exclusively for this video, but to make a piece like this really come to life we needed to do further sound design, clever editing and some upscaling at the end," Dor told Mashable. "The full piece took around 2 days to complete." He added, "Veo 3 is a massive step forward, it’s easily the most advanced tool available publicly right now. We're especially impressed by its dialogue and prompt adherence capabilities."

Similar man-on-the-street style videos from artists like Alex Patrascu and Impekable have also gone viral, showcasing Veo 3's power. Recently, a Wall Street Journal reporter created an entire short film starring a virtual version of herself using Veo 3, all within just 10 days of the tool's release.

In "Influenders" and other videos, the realism of clips and characters varies. Many still exhibit the glossy aesthetic and jerky camera movements characteristic of AI video, a tell-tale sign akin to ChatGPT's overuse of em dashes.

Just a couple of years ago, AI creations with obvious flaws like incorrect numbers of fingers were common. If technology continues advancing at this rate, distinguishing AI video from real video will soon be virtually impossible.

The Double Edged Sword Creativity Versus Misinformation

Google is keen to highlight its partnerships with artists and filmmakers like Darren Aronofsky in promoting Veo 3. It's clear that Veo 3 could significantly reduce the costs of animation and special effects. However, for content farms and malicious actors producing fake news and manipulative content, Veo 3 is an equally potent tool.

When asked about Veo 3's potential for misuse, Google stated that safeguards like digital watermarks are integrated into Veo 3 video clips.

"It’s important that people can access provenance tools for videos and other content they see online," a Google DeepMind representative told Mashable. "The SynthID watermark is embedded in all content generated by Google’s AI tools, and our SynthID detector rolled out to early testers last week. We plan to expand access more broadly soon, and as an additional step to help people, we’re adding a visible watermark to Veo videos."

Google also adheres to AI safety guidelines and aims to "help people and organizations responsibly create and identify AI-generated content."

A screenshot from an AI-generated video made by Google with Veo 3. Credit: Google

Navigating the New Reality A Call for Critical Viewing

But does the average person pause to question the authenticity of images and videos on their timelines? The viral emotional support kangaroo incident suggests not.

There's no doubt that AI videos are set to become even more prevalent on social media. This will include a flood of low-quality AI content, but also videos with more sinister intentions. Despite built-in safeguards, skilled AI artists can create deepfake videos featuring celebrities and public figures. The recurring theme of AI-generated news anchors in Veo 3 videos is particularly concerning for the online information ecosystem.

If you're not already asking "Is this real?" when you encounter a video clip online, now is the time to start.

Or, as many are saying on X, "We're so cooked."

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Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.