ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has made a bold entry into the rapidly growing AI market by launching Jimeng AI, a text-to-video generation tool. The app, developed by Faceu Technology, allows users to create videos by simply inputting text prompts. The tool bears similarities to Sora, a model introduced earlier this year by OpenAI.
Where is Jimeng Available?
Jimeng AI is now accessible to users in China through both Android and Apple’s App Store, according to a report from Reuters. The app offers three subscription plans, enabling users to generate up to 2,050 images or 168 AI-powered videos each month.
Jimeng AI is not available in India, and is not expected to be either due to its Chinese origins.
From what users are reporting on social media platforms, Jimeng’s functioning and overall results feel too similar to Sora’s.Â
You enter text prompts, the more detailed and robust the better, and within seconds the AI tool would generate a short video clip based on what you asked. The details of the videos created look impeccable. Of course, the issue of floating frames and figures (where parts of a figure which should stay stable starts moving unnaturally) remain for Jimeng’s outputs – similar to that of Sora’s.
What About Chinese Rivals?
This strategic move places ByteDance in direct competition with other major Chinese tech companies that have recently developed text-to-video technologies. For instance, Kuaishou, one of China’s leading video-sharing platforms, launched its own AI tool called Kling AI last month. The beta version of Kling AI is available globally, requiring users to register with their email addresses.
Other key players in the Chinese AI landscape have also made strides in this domain. Zhipu AI rolled out its video-generation model Ying, while Shengshu introduced the Vidu app. Faceu Technology, a subsidiary of ByteDance’s Jianying business, is already well-known for its popular video editing software CapCut.
Global Rivals Look On
The competition doesn’t end within China. Global tech giants like OpenAI and Google have made headlines with similar innovations. OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, unveiled its text-to-video model Sora in February 2024, although it remains inaccessible to the general public. Meanwhile, Google introduced Veo, a sophisticated video generation model capable of producing high-quality, minute-long videos in 1080p resolution, during its I/O 2024 event. The tech giant also revealed plans to integrate Veo’s features into YouTube Shorts and other platforms.
ByteDance’s Jimeng AI signals a significant development in the AI landscape, highlighting the increasing demand for innovative video-generation tools powered by artificial intelligence. As competition heats up, users can expect more cutting-edge solutions to emerge, reshaping content creation in both social media and professional industries.
