One year after Veo 3: Here’s what I actually think about AI video

About a year ago, Veo 3 hit the internet, and everyone collectively went:

"Uh oh."

And honestly? The panic made sense.

For the first time, AI video crossed a threshold where it stopped looking like a weird tech demo and started looking like actual commercials, movies, and content. It wasn't just B2B marketers paying attention either. It sent shockwaves through the entire motion picture industry.

And since then, we've seen an explosion of tools and platforms chasing the same dream. Kling. Seedance. Runway. Every month, there's another leap forward.

So now that the initial chaos has settled down a bit, here's my current take after spending the last year watching this stuff evolve almost daily.

1. The Quality Is Going to Keep Getting Better

I think some people still treat AI-generated video like a gimmick that'll plateau soon.

I don't see that at all.

Every time I open one of these tools, something that annoyed me six months ago has improved. Lip sync gets better. Motion gets smoother. Physics gets less weird. Camera movement gets more cinematic.

So if your strategy is "AI video will probably stop improving soon," I wouldn't bet your company on it.

2. AI Still Doesn't Feel Human - But That Might Be Fine

This is the part that's harder to explain.

AI characters look human. They sound human. But there's still something slightly off in the performance - some weird absence of human imperfection.

And I actually don't think that's necessarily a problem.

I think we're making the mistake of comparing AI-generated video exclusively to live-action when it might belong in an entirely different category.

Think about animation history.

You had hand-drawn animation like The Little Mermaid or Aladdin. Then Pixar came along with Toy Story, and suddenly, audiences had to adjust to this entirely new 3D style.

Nobody watched Pixar and said:

"Well, these don't look like real humans, so this medium is invalid."

It simply became its own category.

I think AI video is becoming a third category:

• Hand-drawn animation
• 3D animation
• AI-generated motion

None of them are "real humans." They're just different mediums.

And importantly, I don't think AI replaces live action any more than Pixar replaced actors. It just adds another lane.

3. The Hardest Part Is Still the Same Thing

The novelty phase is already ending.

A year ago, you could go viral simply because "AI can do this now."

That window is closing fast.

Now we're back to the same old problem creative people have always faced:

Do you actually have an idea worth watching?

That's still the hard part.

The tools changed. Human taste didn't.

You still need:

• Great concepts
• Strong storytelling
• Originality
• Emotional insight
• Timing
• Pacing
• Taste

AI does not magically solve creative bankruptcy.

It just gives you another medium to work in.

4. Taste Is Becoming More Valuable, Not Less

This is probably the biggest misconception I see right now.

People assume AI lowers the need for creatives because "anyone can generate content."

But the easier the creation becomes, the more valuable the taste becomes.

Because now we're drowning in content.

Most AI-generated work still feels sloppy, directionless, or aesthetically confused. Not because the tools are bad - but because the person using them lacks creative judgment.

Good creative direction still matters.

Storytelling still matters.

Brand positioning still matters.

Someone still has to decide:

• What should this feel like?
• What shouldn't it feel like?
• What's the emotional reaction we want?
• What details make this feel intentional instead of generic?

The companies that win with AI won't be the ones generating the most content.

They'll be the ones applying the most taste.

Final Thought

I don't think AI video is a fad.

I also don't think it destroys filmmaking, advertising, or human creativity.

It becomes another creative tool. A massive one. A disruptive one. But still a tool.

And just like every other creative revolution before it, the people who thrive won't simply be the people with access to the technology.

It'll be the people with something interesting to say.

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