Google has recently announced the arrival of Google Vids, and initially I thought it would be a video-generating AI tool like Sora. It kind of is, but Google Vids is tailored for video creation that turns ideas and content from existing Google Workspace application like Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets. So, it’s helpful to turn, let’s say, a short theatrical play into a video concept. It’s less of a “generate this or that”, and more like “let’s visualise your existing ideas”.
It’s not out yet. Similar to Sora (as written in my article previously), Google Vids is also under development and not ready just yet. But if this AI tool is finally made available to the public, I can think of a few things that students, especially university students, can benefit well from this tool.
Last minute assignment crunch has never been easier.
AI-generated Presentations
The concept of turning ideas into actual contents using AI is not something new or foreign — it has already been a notion for a long while. With a video-generating AI tool like Google Vids, students can ditch the static slideshows and create presentations that incorporate video clips, narration, and even animations (using elements from Slides) – making their projects more engaging and informative for the class.
If we take a look at Canva AI slides creation tool, we can generate an entire presentation slide with some keywords, here and there. We can edit the content afterwards. But, if Google Vids comes to fruition, we can turn an entire essay into a presentation, with content generated based on the essay written.
If there is a video essay assignment needed to be done, all we have to do is to create a script (or use existing essay written), and the presentation slides should be at the ready for use. Saves time.
Enhanced Learning Using Visuals
If you’re often the person who goes on YouTube to hear some YouTubers ranting about a topic, or explain about a theory of something, that’s practically what a video essay is. These videos either come in just random background footages, or in screenshots or visuals that assist the viewers in understanding the concept that includes illustrations or videos depicting whatever is being talked about.
I know students, especially those majoring in mass communication, have this sort of assignment as well. So, if we can use Google Vids to our advantage, we can create video tutorials for classmates on difficult topics and help solidify their own understanding. This would even foster a spirit of knowledge-sharing. Just like how video essays on YouTube are designed to help viewers understand a topic, using Google Vids to understand certain subjects or materials in those subjects may just serve well for visual and auditory learners.
It’s an interesting take, really. Less time thinking about what materials or illustrations to use to help in topic comprehension, and more about writing the content Google Vids to work on.
Cutting Down Time on Creative Projects
Let’s say there’s a group project where the team brainstorms and refines the video script directly within a Google Doc. Google Vids, as theorised and shown in the video concept, could integrate with Docs, allowing seamless transfer of the script or key points into the storyboard creation process. Team members could then work on different video sections simultaneously. One student might focus on the visuals and animations in Slides, while another records a voiceover narration. Vids could allow real-time visibility into each other’s work, fostering a sense of shared creation.
We’re used to the idea of having people record their own separate segments, with varying audio levels, background noises, video lengths, and more, leaving only one or two students in the team to figure out how to fix them to make sure the finished product is as polished as possible (which is often not the case).
So, having Google Vids as a tool for everyone to easily work on their part of the essay would offer more streamlined and polished work. Everyone would have equal lengths for their own segments, uniform audio levels, minimal background noise — all of these would be possible. Editing and producing video essays or projects would also be less of a hassle, too.
Verdict
Google Vids, as mentioned, isn’t ready just yet. But I have no doubt that students would benefit from the use of it, similar to ChatGPT or Gemini that students often use in their assignment. Understandably, polishing a video-creation tool is not as simple as voice-generating or voice synthesis AI, since generating visuals aids through images alone often has issues on its own (let alone multiple, continuous images formed into videos).
Regardless, this is one of the development of AI that I do look forward to, not because it’d help me immensely with my assignments, but because of how badly I want to see how we have progressed in developing smart computers in working together with humans in their daily lives.
Speaking of development, if you are interested in reading about the new storage technology, feel free to read it here. Otherwise, feel free to check out my entire catalogue here. Thanks again for reading, and I’ll see you in another time.
