Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

This new AI animation tool is blowing people’s minds

More AI tools are popping up to advance features of the popular generators that are already available, and the latest one is blowing people’s minds.

One AI research company, Runway, has recently introduced the second generation of its Motion Brush tool, which helps animate aspects of AI-generated images, such as those created in Midjourney. The simple brush tool to animate images feels like magic — which is always true when AI is done right. The video below, as posted by AI enthusiast, Rory Flynn, shows the new tool in action.

Full Video: https://t.co/iyJr8TEyyt

— Rory Flynn (@Ror_Fly) November 25, 2023

Many creators are already having fun with the Motion Brush tool, bringing to life still images such as trucks driving down a dirt road, panning nature shots, moving people and animals, leaves twisting in the wind, and moving clouds. Runway also showcased examples of making waterfalls, fish in a tank, fire, and the smoke from a burning cigarette move.

Motion Brush works by uploading an image into the service. Select Start with Image and then select the Motion Brush tool. Then use it to draw a highlight over the area of the image you would like to animate on the image. You can also generate an image within Runway using a text prompt before using Motion Brush. Confirm the horizontal, vertical, and proximity controls at the bottom of the screen, and then press Save. Once saved, you can generate the video by selecting the Extend 4s button. You can also click Extend 4s again to expand the length of the video up to 16 seconds. Generated videos are available for downloading, sharing, and use in other editors, among other functions.

Some of the features that you can use together are Motion Brush and Camera Controls, which allow you to set aspects of the image to move while the camera pans or zooms at the same time. Other updated features include the Gen-2 Style Presets, which allow you to add style to content without prompts, and Director Mode updates allowing for adjustments to camera moves at a fraction of a second.

Runway Motion Brush preview.
RunwayML

Its interface resembles most image or video editors. You’ll have access to different functions and limits in the service, depending on your price tier, which includes basic, Standard, Pro, Unlimited, or Enterprise. Currently, the Motion Brush tool is in beta, making it available to all Runway members.

In addition to the Motion Brush update, Runway recently introduced new Gen-2 Style Presets, and updated Camera Controls, among other features, the company said on its X (formerly Twitter) profile.

Runway is free to sign up and you can use Google or Apple as sign-up options. There is also a Single Use Sign-on available only for the Enterprise tier.

Editors' Recommendations

Fionna Agomuoh
Fionna Agomuoh is a technology journalist with over a decade of experience writing about various consumer electronics topics…
Google quietly launches a new text-to-video AI app
A photo of Google Vids running with a sample timeline

Google quietly announced an AI-powered video creation app today. Called Google Vids, the new app is designed for Google Workspace users and uses the power of Google Gemini to help you create informational videos for the workspace.

Currently in testing with select Google Workspace Labs users (a public beta ispromised for later), the new online tool builds on some of the AI-powered features we've already seen in Google's other apps like Docs, Sheets, and Slides. The difference is that with Google Vids, you can manually create a video storyboard using your media or use AI to create one using basic words and simple prompts. This allows you to edit and put together much more informative videos in a short time.

Read more
Intel is oddly enthusiastic about AI replacing everyone’s jobs
An Intel executive presenting at Intel Vision.

"Many people in [Silicon Valley] refer to this as, in the future, we'll have a billion-dollar unicorn that will only have one employee," said Sachin Katti, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's Network and Edge Group. Katti is talking about generative AI, if the context clues weren't strong enough, in one of the most obvious examples of saying the quiet part out loud.

In a briefing with press prior to Intel's Vision event, which is happening right now at the time of publishing, Intel laid out its vision of the future of generative AI. And that future is filled with generative AI "agents," as Intel calls them, replacing people's jobs.

Read more
Stability AI’s music tool now lets you generate tracks up to 3 minutes long
Soundwaves.

Fears are already growing over generative AI’s challenge to human talent in the creative industries, and an update from Stability AI on Wednesday will only serve to heighten those concerns.

The London-based startup has just released Stable Audio 2.0, the latest version of its music-generation platform.

Read more