Google Veo 2's latest steep pricing appears to target big-budget AI video productions
AI video creation has grown rapidly over the years. In 2024, the industry was reportedly valued at over $530 million and is expected to hit $2 billion by 2032. So it's no surprise that Google is looking to cash in on the trend as it quietly reveals the pricing for its AI video generator, Veo 2.
According to Google's official pricing page, it will cost $0.50 for every second of footage Veo generates. That’s about $30 a minute—pretty steep compared to other AI video generators like OpenAI's Sora or Runway, which run on a subscription model. Sora is available for $20 a month with ChatGPT Plus or $200 a month for full access through ChatGPT Pro and Runway costs $12 per month.
Admittedly, Veo does offer more than the likes of Sora, especially in resolution, video length, and cinematic control. While Sora is limited to 1080p and a max duration of 20 seconds, Veo can generate videos in up to 4K resolution and 2 minutes duration, making it better suited for professional-grade content. It also provides advanced cinematic tools, letting users adjust camera angles, lens types, and visual styles for more creative control.
When stacked against other competitors like Runway and Pika Labs, Veo arguably stands out with its realism, enhanced physics-based animations, and broader creative flexibility.
But even with all these features, Veo’s high cost might not appeal to the average user. Notably, Google DeepMind researcher Jon Barron compared its pricing to "Avengers: Endgame", a film with a $356 million budget that translated to around $32,000 per second. To me, this comparison suggests that Veo is likely aimed at big-budget productions looking to cut costs rather than everyday creators.
Sadly, this then raises interesting questions like, what could this mean for professionals in traditional video ad production? Will we see high-quality AI-generated ads instead of the awkward, uncanny ones like Coca-Cola’s AI experiment last year? And will the wave of AI-driven job losses currently affecting IT workers start creeping into other creative fields?
Only time will tell.