Text-to-video AI generates clips from a text or an image. In 2026 the most discussed are Veo (Google), Kling and Runway: Veo stands out for audio and long clips, Kling for price and motion, Runway for camera control and character consistency. They are useful for drafts, backgrounds and short pieces; videos of your team and your real products are still irreplaceable.
A 20-second video with good motion, good light and clear text takes hours to produce the traditional way. Text-to-video AI brings it down to minutes, with nuances that matter. This article tells you what to expect and how to use it without your brand losing credibility.
How does it work?
You write a description (“an ice cream vendor pushing a cart down a street in Santo Domingo at sunset”) or upload an image, and the model generates a clip. Depending on the tool, you can specify the camera movement, the length and the vertical format for social media, and some add audio, music or voice.
How do I write the text so the clip comes out well?
A vague text produces a generic clip. This formula works to start with:
Subject + action + place + light + camera.
| Element | Bad | Good |
|---|---|---|
| Subject and action | A food business | A woman serving a plate of rice and beans |
| Place | In a nice place | In the small kitchen of a diner, with steam rising from the pots |
| Light | Well lit | Natural morning light through a window |
| Camera | A video | Medium shot, fixed camera, slight zoom in |
Generate two or three short clips per scene and choose the best one. The ones you discard also use credits, so test first with the shortest length.
The most discussed tools in 2026
The landscape changes every few months and some tools change plan, change name or stop being offered. With that warning, these are the ones that appear most in 2026 comparisons:
| Tool | Known for | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Veo (Google) | Native audio, long clips and vertical format | Access tied to Google plans |
| Kling (Kuaishou) | Accessible price and good dynamic motion | Check the terms of use and data terms |
| Runway | Camera control and character consistency | The plans are more expensive |
Prices vary a lot depending on the source and the plan, and they change often. Always check each provider’s official page before signing up.
Which tool or workflow should you choose for your case?
| If you need… | Consider |
|---|---|
| A quick draft to decide what to shoot | A short clip from the cheapest tool |
| A clip with voice or sound included | A tool with native audio |
| A character that looks the same across several scenes | A tool with character control, and edit it afterwards |
| To show your real product | Film it yourself: the AI does not know what it looks like |
What it is useful for in a business
- Backgrounds and supporting scenes for a video where you or your product do appear.
- Idea drafts to decide what to actually film.
- Presentations and internal pieces, with short clips and subtitles.
- Social media content in 9:16 format, respecting the sizes and safe zones of each network.
Where it falls short
- Text inside the video and hands or faces with errors, although it keeps improving.
- Real products: the AI does not know exactly what your product looks like. If the clip shows it differently, the customer feels deceived.
- Consistency between clips: keeping the same character or setting takes work.
- Rights and data: check who owns the result and what the platform does with what you upload.
What do the platforms say about disclosing AI?
This is where most businesses get it wrong, and the rules are concrete.
- Meta (Instagram and Facebook): according to its help center, you must label content that includes photorealistic video or realistic-sounding audio generated or altered with AI, for example a realistic generated voice-over. Stylized content, such as cartoon video, and minor adjustments do not require it. Meta can apply the label on its own, and not labeling what should have been labeled can bring penalties.
- YouTube: it asks creators to disclose realistic content altered or generated with AI, such as a scene that never happened or a real person saying something they did not say, by marking “Yes” under “Altered content” when uploading. There is no need to disclose fantastical content or minor aesthetic adjustments, according to its help.
We could not verify TikTok’s current policy, so check it before publishing there.
Rules for responsible use
- Do not show what your product does not do.
- Flag realistic AI-generated content according to each platform’s policies.
- Do not use a person’s image or voice without their permission.
- Combine it with real footage: your team, your premises, your customers with their consent.
A simple workflow
- Write the script: what you want the person to understand in the first three seconds.
- Generate two or three short clips per scene and choose the best one.
- Edit in your usual tool: cuts, music, subtitles and your logo.
- Label the content if it looks real, according to the platform where you will publish it.
- Publish one version and measure retention and messages received.
If you want to bring video into your marketing with a plan, see what digital marketing is and how to do organic marketing, and message us on WhatsApp if you would rather plan it with us.
Sources
Accessed on October 25, 2026.
- Instagram Help Center, labels for content generated or altered with AI.
- YouTube Help, Disclosing altered or synthetic content.
- Third-party comparisons, with variable prices: Veo 3 vs Kling 3 vs Runway and AI Video Market After Sora: Runway, Kling, and Veo.
Frequently asked questions
What is text-to-video AI?
They are models that create video clips from a written description or an image. Some tools also generate audio and voice.
Which AI video tool suits a small business?
It depends on the use. For cheap pieces with motion, Kling; for audio and longer clips, Veo; for camera control and consistent characters, Runway. Plans and prices change often, so check each tool's official page.
Should I disclose that a video was made with AI?
If it looks real, yes. Meta requires labeling photorealistic video or realistic-sounding audio generated or altered with AI, and YouTube asks you to mark "Yes" under "Altered content" when realistic content could mislead. Stylized or fantastical content needs no disclosure.
Can I use AI videos in ads?
You can, as long as they do not mislead about your product or service. An ad that shows something your product does not do is misleading advertising.
Does AI replace a video editor?
It replaces repetitive work and speeds up drafts. The story, the script, the brand and the judgment are still human.
How do I write a good text to generate a clip?
Describe who, what they do, where, with what light and how the camera moves, in one or two sentences. Generate clips a few seconds long, choose the best one and edit it afterwards in your usual tool.
How much does an AI-generated video cost?
It depends on the tool, the plan and the length, and it changes often. Always check the price on the official page and start with short clips: the ones you discard also use credits.