Google Vids Gets Veo 3.1 and Lyria 3: Free AI Video, Directable Avatars, and Custom Music

April 3, 2026  ·  By Connie  ·  7 min read

What Google Just Shipped

On April 2, 2026, Google rolled out a significant update to Google Vids, its AI-first video editing product inside Google Workspace. The update integrates three major AI capabilities simultaneously: Veo 3.1 for video generation, Lyria 3 for music, and a new directable avatar system. Coverage from TechCrunch, Ars Technica, 9to5Google, and Android Central landed within hours, with the official Google Workspace blog confirming the rollout.

The headline is that Veo 3.1 video generation is now free for anyone with a Google account — no Workspace subscription required. This is a meaningful shift from the previous paywall. The free tier is limited (10 clips per month, each around 8 seconds), but it gives creators a low-friction entry point that Sora and Runway have not matched.

Veo 3.1: What Changed from Veo 3

Veo 3.1 is a refinement of the Veo 3 video generation model Google released in late 2025. The key improvements in 3.1:

• Higher consistency: characters and objects remain more stable across frames, reducing the flickering common in earlier versions
• Better prompt adherence: complex descriptions with multiple elements render more accurately
• Avatar integration: Veo 3.1 powers the new directable avatar system natively within Vids
• Faster generation: Google reports roughly 30% faster clip generation versus Veo 3 at comparable quality

The model still caps at ~8 seconds per free generation. Pro and Ultra subscribers can chain clips and generate sequences up to 2 minutes.

Lyria 3: Custom Music That Actually Fits Your Video

Lyria 3 is Google DeepMind's latest music generation model. In Google Vids, it functions as an integrated soundtrack generator: describe the mood, tempo, and style you need, and Lyria generates a royalty-free original track. Pro subscribers get tracks from 30 seconds to 3 minutes. Ultra subscribers can use Lyria 3 Pro for higher-quality output and longer compositions.

The practical use case: you are recording a product demo, tutorial, or social media clip in Google Vids. Instead of hunting for stock music that almost-fits, you describe "upbeat lo-fi background, no vocals, 90 seconds" and Lyria generates it in seconds. The track is auto-synced to your clip timeline.

Directable AI Avatars: Text Prompts Control Appearance and Action

The avatar feature is the most visually striking part of the update. Google Vids now ships with a library of AI avatars — both realistic human presentations and cartoon styles — that can be directed entirely through text prompts.

What "directable" means in practice:

• You can tell an avatar to hold a product, gesture toward a screen, or look at the camera
• Outfits, backgrounds, and props can be changed per scene without re-rendering the avatar from scratch
• Character consistency is maintained across multiple clips and scenes
• Eight languages are supported for avatar voiceover: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish

This makes Vids useful for product marketing teams, corporate trainers, and educators who need consistent presenter-style videos without scheduling a studio shoot. The quality does not match bespoke video production, but it is dramatically faster.

Google Vids vs. Sora vs. Runway: Where Each Wins

The Chrome Extension: Record From Any Tab

The Google Vids Screen Recorder Chrome extension is a quiet but practical addition. Previously, recording your screen for a Vids project required navigating to the Vids editor and initiating recording there. The extension removes that friction: install it once, and a record button appears in your Chrome toolbar. You can capture any tab, window, or your full desktop, with optional webcam overlay, and the recording feeds directly into the Vids editor.

For anyone creating software tutorials, product walkthroughs, or meeting recaps, this fills a gap that previously required Loom, OBS, or other third-party tools.

Who Should Start Using Google Vids Now

Google Workspace users already paying for Business Starter, Standard, or Plus get access to Vids with the existing subscription. The Veo 3.1 free tier is the main new addition — the avatar and music features require Pro or Ultra.

Content creators using YouTube as a primary distribution channel get the most value: the native YouTube export and Lyria 3 music remove two of the most time-consuming steps in the production workflow.

Small business marketing teams can replace expensive studio shoots for product explainer videos and social ads using the avatar system, particularly now that multi-language support is built in.

Independent creators without a Workspace subscription get the least value from this update — the free tier covers basic clip generation but does not include music or advanced avatars. For that use case, Runway's free tier may still be more capable per-clip.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Google Vids with Veo 3.1 free?

Yes. Any Google account user gets 10 free Veo 3.1 video generations per month, each clip up to ~8 seconds. Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers get up to 1,000 videos per month and access to Lyria 3 full-length music tracks.

What can the new AI avatars in Google Vids do?

The directable AI avatars can be customized via text prompts — change outfits, backgrounds, and direct them to interact with objects or props. Available in realistic and cartoon styles, they support 8 languages with consistent appearance across clips.

How does Lyria 3 music generation work in Google Vids?

Lyria 3 generates original music from a text description. Free users can create short clips. Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers can generate tracks from 30 seconds to 3 minutes long, auto-synced to video timelines.

How does Google Vids compare to Sora and Runway?

Google Vids is deeply integrated with Workspace (Docs, Slides, YouTube export) and offers a free tier via Veo 3.1. Sora and Runway focus on higher-fidelity cinematic video and are more expensive per use. For Workspace users already in Google's ecosystem, Vids is the most frictionless option.