Google announced in May 2026 a new YouTube Shorts feature that allows users to restyle or alter other people’s short-form videos using its Gemini Omni AI model.
The feature is accessible via the remix icon at the bottom of any YouTube Short. Tapping it surfaces a “reimagine” option, where users can prompt Gemini Omni to transform a clip into styles such as pixel art, anime, or found-footage horror. Users can also modify the content of a video more directly — options include inflating heads, inserting background actors, dressing people in pirate costumes, or placing themselves inside the clip.
Creators retain control over whether their videos can be reimagined. Those who prefer their content not be altered — for example, videos featuring children — can disable the remixing option entirely. Google says any Short remixed through Gemini Omni will carry a digital watermark and include a link back to the original video.
The feature raises questions around consent and content integrity, though Google’s opt-out mechanism and watermarking system may address some of those concerns. The ability to insert oneself into another person’s video, in particular, could prompt scrutiny over how the tool is used in practice.
Source: The Verge