Text-to-Video
AI models that generate video clips from text descriptions. Text-to-video tools include Runway, Sora, Pika, Kling, and Hailuo — producing 5-10 second clips with increasingly cinematic quality.
Why this matters
Text-to-video is the fastest-evolving AI capability. Quality jumped from novelty to professional-grade between 2024 and 2026. Understanding the current state helps you evaluate whether AI video fits your workflow and which tool matches your quality needs.
Real-world example
Prompt: "A golden retriever running through autumn leaves in slow motion, cinematic lighting" → Runway Gen-3 Alpha generates a 10-second 1080p clip in under a minute. Sora produces similar quality. Hailuo offers free generation at slightly lower quality.