Google has updated its AI video-generation model, Veo 3.1, enabling users to create vertical videos optimized for social media platforms such as YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and TikTok. The model can generate videos using reference images, producing improved character expressions, object movement, and background consistency.
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The vertical video feature is made possible by a new 9:16 aspect ratio option in Veo 3.1, which allows creators to produce content without cropping, ensuring full visual coverage on mobile screens. This update is particularly useful for creators who want to repurpose AI-generated content directly for short-form vertical video platforms.
Today, Veo 3.1 Ingredients to Video is getting more expressive + portrait mode has arrived (we heard you!)
You can now create vertical clips with livelier movement and better control directly in the @Geminiapp, @YouTube & Google Vids.
All this plus state-of-the-art upscaling to… pic.twitter.com/vCvGEelldS
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) January 13, 2026
Veo 3.1 can be accessed in multiple ways. Users can generate vertical AI videos via the Gemini app, Google’s AI video editor Flow, the Gemini API, Vertex AI, and Google Vids. Additionally, Google is integrating the feature into YouTube Shorts and the YouTube Create app, making it easier for professional and casual creators to leverage AI for content production.
Originally released in October 2025, Veo 3.1 also introduced improvements in audio output, finer editing controls, and better integration of characters, objects, backgrounds, and textures to produce cohesive videos. Google claims that the model significantly enhances the realism of AI-generated characters and animations while maintaining flexibility for creative editing.
The platform’s expansion signals Google’s continued focus on AI-assisted content creation, catering to a growing audience of creators seeking fast, high-quality, and mobile-optimized videos. Experts say that tools like Veo 3.1 could redefine social media content production by making professional-level video creation accessible to users with limited technical expertise.
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With Veo 3.1, Google aims to simplify the AI video-making process while providing creators with more control, efficiency, and output quality, aligning with the surge in short-form video consumption worldwide.