The competition between AI video makers is already heating up, but it's just gotten even tougher thanks to a new option called Hotshot, built by just four people. This new AI video generator is a free alternative to Runway, OpenAI's Sora, Luma's Dream Machine, and other text-to-video AI models, and it features some impressive results from previous efforts in AI photo creation.
Hotshot's latest text-to-video AI model is still in preview after four months of training on 600 million video clips. But it can create up to 10 seconds of footage based on your input. The tool impresses not only with the look of the video, but also with the flexible design of the model. The videos created can also be extended, linked to audio, or reworked in higher resolution using secondary tools. That makes Hotshot perfect for testing longer video varieties. With no additional tools, a single prompt can create videos in multiple styles, such as comic book art or a blend of animation and live-action footage.
How to use Hot Shot
If you want to try Hosthot, it's available for free on the Hotshot website and offers watermark-free video. However, the free level is currently limited to two generations per day, so be careful with your prompts. The prompt field will record how many generations you have left; if you try to do more than that, Hotshot will display the paid levels.
It's fun to watch Hotshot generate. At first you see a big black video screen, then a grainy image of the generated interpretation starts to appear on the screen. A progress bar tells you how long it takes to complete the clip. Once done, you can play it, copy a link to the video, or download it (it's in MP4 format). Regeneration requires a premium account.
As Hotshot enters the competitive field of AI-generated video, it faces the challenge of standing out in a field that already has a lot of options.
The AI video model that's garnering the most attention is Sora from OpenAI, but it's still largely unavailable. There are more accessible options like Runway, Stability AI, and Luma Labs' Dream Machine. Hotshot will need to move fast to become more than a passing fad, but it's unlikely to lose any of the interest fueling the industry in the near future.
