Technologies

Microsoft Just Dropped a Free AI Video Tool, and It’s Wildly Easy to Use

Bing Video Creator is live on mobile now, but desktop and Copilot Search support is coming soon.

Microsoft has a new, free tool that lets you create AI-generated videos: the Bing Video Creator.

If you’ve ever wanted to turn a quick idea into a video without touching editing software, Microsoft’s new AI tool might be your next favorite trick. The company just rolled out Bing Video Creator, a free feature that lets you generate short videos from nothing but a text prompt. No fancy skills or timeline scrubbing required. Just type in your idea and let the AI do the rest.

When I gave it a spin, it took less than a minute to churn out a five-second clip of the Bing logo bobbing in a pool alongside a flamingo and donut floatie. It’s weird, fun, and kind of impressive, especially for a free tool that lives right inside your browser. If you’re curious about what this AI video generator can do (or just want to make a goofy summer-themed clip), here’s how it works and what to expect.

The feature is only available on the Bing Search mobile app right now but it will be coming to Windows desktops and Copilot Search, according to the company, and is powered by OpenAI’s Sora video technology. Bing Video Creator joins other major AI-driven video creation tools, including Sora from ChatGPT, Adobe Firefly, Google Veo, Runway and Meta Movie Gen.

You can check out what Google’s latest Veo 3 feature can do for those willing to pay for Gemini Ultra. The technology is moving quickly, with more options now available, some free and others for a fee or purchasing them in AI service subscriptions.

How to use Bing Video Creator

Finding or using the Bing Video Creator isn’t instantly intuitive, especially if you’re not already using the Bing Search app. In the Bing Search app, I accessed the feature by clicking on the box on the bottom right of the home screen.

That brings up lots of apps within the app. Look for Video Creator on the bottom left. There, you can create a still image or video by typing in a text prompt. Using the Fast option, which is the default, should generate the short video in moments.

You can also type «Create a video of…» directly in the app’s main search bar if you don’t want to hunt for the feature. You can download and share the video.

When I tried it out, I found the video was not very high quality and was not easy to download directly from the app. Sharing a link to the video creation and viewing it outside the app offers an option to download the full video.

Microsoft says it will keep your video creations available for 90 days.

Choice of AI video generators

Microsoft’s entry into AI video making is giving people another free option that seems geared toward casual users.

Many who work in AI businesses, such as Matt Psencik, director of security and product design research at Tanium, are following the rollout of these products, led by Sora last year. Psencik says one of them has been most impressive.

«Google’s launch of Veo 3 for Gemini is a standout,» he tells me, «in object permanence, realistic physics and overall visual fidelity. These developments are beginning to erase the line between ‘clearly AI-generated’ and ‘convincingly real.’ «

The risks, Psencik says, is that realistic video generation could be exploited with deepfakes or used to attempt to hijack someone else’s identity. Most of the AI video generators have guardrails or filters on what kind of content users can request to generate, whether it’s to avoid copyright issues or to prevent hate speech and propaganda.

But, Psencik tells me, that’s not stopping AI bots from posting fake videos online that many people can’t tell apart from reality.

«As AI-generated video becomes nearly indistinguishable from reality, it’s only a matter of time before these tools are regularly weaponized to impersonate real people at scale,» he says.

Technologies

Live-Action ‘Call of Duty’ Movie Reportedly Being Co-Written by Taylor Sheridan

The Yellowstone co-creator will reportedly team up with Peter Berg on the Paramount film.

Yellowstone, Landman and, now, Call of Duty. Taylor Sheridan, co-creator of the aforementioned hit shows, will co-write Paramount and Activision’s upcoming live-action video game adaptation, according to a report from Variety on Thursday.

Peter Berg will also co-write and direct the movie, which was announced last month. Berg previously directed films including 2018’s Mile 22, 2012’s Battleship and 2013’s Lone Survivor, while Sheridan’s movie credits include 2016’s Hell or High Water and 2017’s Wind River. Berg, Sheridan and David Glasser will produce the Call of Duty film.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Call of Duty is a first-person shooter military video game series that debuted in 2003. CNET senior writer David Lumb calls it «arguably the biggest shooter franchise in gaming, with millions of players picking up every year’s new entry to the series.»

Lumb said the franchise is known for its bombastic single-player campaigns, which feature globe-spanning plots that rival those of the Mission Impossible films. «A Call of Duty movie has a lot of material to draw from,» Lumb said.

He also noted that Berg’s direction of Lone Survivor would fit the grim military heroism of Call of Duty, while Taylor Sheridan’s spate of neo-Western films and shows could lend a frontier adventurism to the film.

«Their collective works seemingly harmonize with the jingoistic pro-military tune of Activision’s shooter franchise — which is probably a good thing for Call of Duty fans,» Lumb concluded.

A release announcing Paramount and Activision’s film deal teased that it’ll be «designed to thrill its massive global fan base by delivering on the hallmarks of what fans love about the iconic series, while boldly expanding the franchise to entirely new audiences.» It didn’t include cast or plot information.

The update follows recent news that Sheridan is leaving Paramount for NBCUniversal. Paramount did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Technologies

US Government Urges Total Ban of Our Most Popular Wi-Fi Router

Technologies

Animal Crossing Update Adds Lego Furniture, With a Switch 2 Version Arriving the Same Day

Fans of Animal Crossing will have a reason to go back to their island.

Animal Crossing fans just received a big surprise, and it’s not just a new content update. A Switch 2 version is on its way.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons will receive its first big update in three years, according to a post from Nintendo on Thursday. The update, labeled 3.0, will roll out on Jan. 15, the same day the Switch 2 version of the game will be available for purchase.

Released for the original Switch back in 2020, New Horizons was the first Animal Crossing game to come to a Nintendo console since 2008’s Animal Crossing: City Folk for the Nintendo Wii.

Nintendo regularly updated New Horizons for two years after its release, but stopped at update 2.0.6 released in November 2022. Two updates were added earlier in the year to prepare the game for playability on the Switch 2.

Animal Crossing 3.0 Update

In the 3.0 update coming on Jan. 15, a new hotel is opening. Players can help bring in guests to stay at the hotel by decorating guest rooms and dressing up mannequins to sell resort clothing.

For those who haven’t touched New Horizons in years, a Reset Service will be available. Players can have their island cleaned up, and items can be stored away or trashed for those who want a clean slate.

Players with a Nintendo Switch Online membership will have access to up to three islands, where they can explore and do as they please. These new areas are available on Slumber Island. It’s up to the player to decide how the island will look, what items or plants are on it and even which characters will be found on the island. Players can also invite friends to build it together.

New Horizons will feature special collaborations and Nintendo retro gear. Lego items will be available in the update for players to decorate their homes with or clothing to dress up their villagers with. Retro Nintendo consoles, such as the NES and Game Boy, can also be used as decorative items.

If the player has a Switch Online subscription, some classic titles such as Ice Climbers and Dr. Mario can be played via these in-game devices. There are also special items based on The Legend of Zelda and Splatoon series when players tap their amiibo from those games onto the Switch while playing.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Switch 2

Switch 2 owners can get in on the digital life game with Animal Crossing: New Horizons — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. Not only will this new version come with updated graphics, including 4K resolution in TV mode, but it will also add special features that can only be done on the newest console.

One of the features is mouse controls for the Joy-Con 2. Players will be able to use the controller as a mouse to decorate indoors, create custom designs and write handwritten messages for the bulletin board.

Residents in the game can now be found by saying their name into the Switch 2’s built-in microphone while using the megaphone in the game. Multiplayer has also improved dramatically, with 12-player sessions available for those playing on the new edition, and CameraPlay is supported to allow players to see one another.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons for the Nintendo Switch 2 will be available for purchase on Jan. 15 for $65. Owners of the original Switch version of New Horizons can upgrade to the Switch 2 version for $5.