Google Vids Now Lets You Create a Digital Avatar From a Selfie, Expanding Beyond Workplace Presentations

Google Vids, the tech giant’s AI-assisted video creation tool, now allows users to generate a custom digital avatar based on a selfie and a voice recording, the company announced on Thursday. The update transforms the tool from a workplace presentation utility into a broader video creation platform, directly competing with startups like HeyGen, Synthesia, and D-ID.

How the New AI Avatars Work

Users can upload a selfie and a voice recording to create a digital likeness that looks and sounds like them. Google states that these avatars are tied to the account holder’s Google account, are watermarked invisibly with SynthID, and are limited to users aged 18 or older in certain regions. The company explicitly notes that the avatars are linked to the account holder’s likeness, preventing the creation of unauthorized videos of public figures.

Gemini Omni Integration Brings Multimodal Video Creation

Google is also integrating its multimodal AI model, Gemini Omni, into Vids. This allows users to generate videos using a combination of a written prompt and reference images. The model can mix these inputs to produce the desired video, as well as perform edits such as swapping backgrounds, adjusting lighting, or adding effects. A notable feature is step-by-step editing, which enables users to make incremental changes without restarting the entire project.

Why This Matters for Businesses and Creators

By embedding Vids within Google Workspace, Google positions the tool primarily for business use cases like company updates, training videos, and internal communications. However, the addition of personalized avatars and conversational editing capabilities brings it into closer competition with a growing field of AI video startups. The integration with Google’s existing ecosystem — including Drive, Docs, and Gmail — could provide a significant advantage for enterprise users seeking a unified platform.

Conclusion

Google’s latest update to Vids represents a strategic expansion from a niche workplace tool into a more versatile video creation platform. With personalized avatars, multimodal AI integration, and step-by-step editing, the company is betting on AI-powered video production as a key feature of its productivity suite. The move intensifies competition in the AI video space, particularly among tools targeting business and professional users.

FAQs

Q1: How do I create an AI avatar in Google Vids?
You upload a selfie and a voice recording. Google’s AI generates a digital avatar that looks and sounds like you. The avatar is tied to your Google account and is watermarked with SynthID.

Q2: Is Google Vids free to use?
Google Vids is part of Google Workspace, so access depends on your Workspace subscription. The article does not specify standalone pricing or a free tier.

Q3: Can I use Google Vids to create videos of other people?
No. Google states that avatars are tied to the account holder’s likeness, preventing unauthorized use of another person’s image or voice.