Generative image AI platform Midjourney has introduced its V1 Video Model. The company proclaimed on X that it’s “fun, easy, and beautiful,” available for $10/month, marking it as the first video model open to all. This initiative appears to compete with other generative-AI video alternatives. OpenAI’s Sora is accessible for ChatGPT Plus and Pro users at $20/month and $200/month, respectively, while Google’s Flow is priced at $249/month. Adobe’s Firefly starts at $9.99/month for up to 20 five-second videos, and Runway’s Gen-4 Turbo video begins at $12/month.

Midjourney’s video production costs are eight times higher than for images, with each project generating four five-second videos. In a blog post, founder David Holz noted that pricing will be modified based on usage over the upcoming month. Holz referred to V1 as a “stepping stone” toward achieving “real-time open-world simulations,” with intentions to create and launch separate models, beginning with the Video Model.

Users can now bring images to life on the platform by clicking “Animate,” selecting between automatic or manual options, and adjusting for low or high motion. Videos can be lengthened by four seconds, up to four times. V1 is currently exclusive to the web and supports the animation of external images.

Holz emphasized the responsible application of these technologies, cautioning against potential misuse for the creation of undetectable AI videos, as flagged by recent misinformation issues. When utilized properly, AI can revitalize both past and present worlds.

The launch of V1 coincides with a lawsuit initiated by Disney and Universal against Midjourney, accusing the platform of illegal training on copyrighted materials and describing it as a “bottomless pit of plagiarism.”

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, the parent company of Mashable, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in April, claiming copyright infringement in the training and operation of its AI systems.