Like its rival, Google, Amazon has launched an AI-powered video generator -- but it's only for advertisers at the moment, and somewhat limited in what it can do.

Today at its Accelerate conference, Amazon unveiled Video Generator, which turns a single product image into video showcases of that product after some amount of processing. The company says that the tool can curate "custom," AI-generated videos that "showcase a product’s features" at no additional cost.

"[Videos from Video Generator] leverage Amazon's unique retail insights to vividly bring a product story to life in ways that are relevant to customers," Amazon writes in a blog post.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dx291Tn-VWg&t=3s

In a statement, Amazon Ads VP Jay Richman said that Video Generator, which is currently in beta for select U.S. advertisers (and specifically for Sponsored Brands campaigns), will be fine-tuned over the next several months ahead of a wider release.

"Video Generator is another meaningful innovation that leverages generative AI to inspire creativity and deliver more value for both advertisers and shoppers," Richman said. "We are hard at work delivering generative AI applications that empower advertisers to craft visually stunning, high-performing ads."

A related new capability announced today, live image, generates few-seconds-long, animated GIFs from a still frame. Also in limited beta, it's a part of Image generator, Amazon's AI-powered image generation suite for marketers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=nzEmNNWMWsU&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aboutamazon.com%2F&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE

Amazon didn't provide sample footage from Video Generator, and it initially revealed very few technical details about the tool and live image.

Late this afternoon, an Amazon spokesperson answered a few of TechCrunch's Video Generator-related questions via email.

Clips from Video Generator are 6-9 seconds in length at a 720p resolution (24 frames per second). They're automatically generated "around" a seed product image -- "inspired by the product and its details," the spokesperson said -- and take up to five minutes to create. Users get four variations to choose from.

Video Generator outputs seem to follow the same basic formula: Two scenes with headlines (e.g. "Nourishing Lavender Moisturizer"), background music, and a call to action. The font and soundtrack can be customized, as well as the brand logo that appears in the upper-right-hand corner of the frame.