Google cuts Veo 3 price in half, aiming to lead the video AI market

In the age of artificial intelligence, it’s not uncommon for a tech company to announce an upgraded version of its AI product. However, Google’s announcement that the Veo 3 and Veo 3 Fast have officially passed the testing phase and are ready for large-scale production has a completely different meaning. It’s not just a simple technology update, but also a sign that video-generating AI has entered a new phase: from experimentation to real commercialization.

1. Google Veo 3 is officially cheaper and more powerful

Google spent years developing Veo, aiming to go head-to-head with OpenAI, which had already made a splash with Sora. But rather than launching a half-baked product, Google opted to incubate and test on a limited scale before announcing the “graduated” Veo 3. This shows that the tech giant is moving in a more sustainable direction, focusing on reliability and sustainability, rather than chasing instant glitz.

The most surprising factor for the community is the price. In the world of AI, cost is always a big barrier, especially for heavy models like video-generating AI. Previously, creating a second of video with the high-end Veo 3 cost users $0.75, a price that only companies with big budgets or professional creators could consider. But now, that number has dropped to just $0.40/second. When considered on a mass production scale, this reduction translates to savings of thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars for a video project.

Not stopping there, Google has also reduced the price of Veo 3 Fast even more, from $0.40 to just $0.15/second. With this cost, testing ideas, creating short clips or building demos will become extremely easy and popular. This policy reflects Google's ambition: to turn Veo 3 into not only a tool for "big guys" in the content production industry, but a technology that anyone, from a media student, a TikTok creator to a fledgling start-up, can access and use.

This can be seen as an extremely bold strategic move. Instead of keeping the price high to affirm the “premium” of the product, Google chose the path of popularization. This approach is reminiscent of the time when YouTube launched and opened the door for anyone to upload videos, thereby completely changing the face of the entertainment and media industry. With Veo 3, Google seems to want to recreate the same thing in the field of AI video creation.

2. Higher quality, better experience

Along with the price reduction, Google did not forget to add feature upgrades to Veo 3, to affirm that this is not only a "cheaper" version, but also a "more powerful" version. The most prominent feature is the support for Full HD 1,080p quality via Gemini API. This is an important step forward, because previously, videos created by Veo only stopped at 720p, an acceptable level for testing but not enough for widespread application in professional projects.

With 1,080p resolution, the Veo 3 has reached the standard that today's video platforms and viewers expect. Independent filmmakers, small businesses, and even global brands can use the Veo 3 to produce high-quality videos that are not much inferior to those produced by traditional cameras. With video being the dominant "language" of the internet, the Veo 3's image quality upgrade is a prerequisite for this technology to come to reality.

In addition to improving resolution, Google also added support for the 9:16 aspect ratio . This is a specific format for vertical videos, a type of content that is exploding strongly on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts. Integrating this aspect ratio shows that Google understands the trend of the times: vertical content is becoming the main channel to reach young users. If Veo 3 does not adapt to this trend, it will be considered outdated right from the start.

Notably, Veo 3 not only exists as a separate tool, but is also deeply integrated into the Google ecosystem . It is present in Gemini, in the Google Vids video editing and creation platform, and in Google Photos with the newly launched “Photo to video” feature. Thanks to that, ordinary users do not need to directly manipulate Veo 3 but still benefit from this technology, through familiar applications. This is an advantage that few competitors can match, because OpenAI lacks a similarly huge ecosystem to integrate its products.

3. Google declares war on Sora

If Veo 3 is a big step forward, it’s also a bold statement. Google isn’t shy about naming the competitor it wants to beat: OpenAI’s Sora . Sora has wowed the world with its ability to create smooth, lifelike video that’s nearly indistinguishable from real footage. But Sora’s problems? High cost, limited reach, and a narrow app ecosystem.

By aggressively cutting prices and integrating Veo 3 into its familiar services, Google is sending a clear message: it wants to compete not only on technology, but also on mainstream adoption. While OpenAI has chosen a strategy of “high-end monopoly,” Google is going for “massive openness.” This is a smart strategy, because the history of technology has shown that the winner is not necessarily the one with the strongest product, but the one with the most popular product.

We can take the example of the race between iOS and Android. Apple has iOS, a closed, smooth and high-end operating system, but Google's Android is the globally popular operating system because it is open to many different manufacturers. The same scenario can be repeated in the field of AI video generation.

This war will, of course, directly benefit users. As the two giants compete fiercely, the creative community will benefit. Costs will continue to fall, quality will continue to increase, and features will continue to be added. This competition will drive the industry forward, creating tools that we could only dream of before.

4. The future of Veo 3 and AI video generation

From a broader perspective, Veo 3 is not just a new tool, but also a symbol of a technological wave that is taking shape. Artificial intelligence is no longer limited to text, still images or voice, but has advanced to the stage where it can create complete videos . This is a huge step forward, because video is the most powerful form of information transmission, combining images, motion and sound to create an immersive experience.

In the future, we can imagine countless scenarios for Veo 3. A small startup could create professional promotional videos without hiring a director or cameraman. A teacher could turn dry lectures into dynamic videos with just a few lines of description. A photographer could “breathe life” into still photos by turning them into moving videos. An indie game could experiment with cutscenes without the need for a large production team.

This means that creative power will gradually be decentralized. Instead of being concentrated in the hands of large studios or giant media companies, the ability to create high-quality videos will be in the hands of anyone with an idea and an internet connection. This is an unprecedented democratization of content.

Of course, with the opportunities come challenges. The ease with which AI can generate videos brings with it concerns about plagiarism, fake news, and mass-produced misinformation. But like the internet, social media, and text-generating AI before it, the challenge is not to stop the technology, but to find ways to manage it and harness it responsibly.

Google, with its vast resources and experience in data management, has an advantage in building tools for moderation, watermarking, or tracing the origin of videos. If they do this well, Veo 3 will not only be strong in technology, but also strong in trust. With all that has been announced, it can be said that Google is sending a clear message: Veo 3 is not just a product, but a manifesto. They are ready to fight for the throne in the field of AI video creation, and they have all the advantages to make it happen.