The competition among AI video creators has been simmering for a while, but the temperatures just rose again thanks to a new option called Hotshot, built by just four people. The new AI video generator offers a free alternative to Runway, OpenAI’s Sora, Luma’s Dream Machine, and other text-to-video AI models, with some impressive results to match its previous efforts in AI photo creation.
Hotshot’s latest text-to-video AI model is still in previews after four months of training on 600 million video clips. But it can produce up to 10 seconds of footage based on what you type. It’s an impressive tool, not just for how the videos look, but also for the flexible design of the model. The videos it creates can potentially be extended, paired with audio, or even re-rendered in higher resolution using secondary tools. It makes Hotshot a great testbed for the seeds of longer videos. Even without any additional tools, you can get a single prompt to create videos in multiple styles, including comic book art and a mix of animation and live-action footage.
How to use Hotshot
If you want to test Hosthot, it is available for free on the Hotshot websitewith videos without watermarks. However, the free tier is currently limited to two generations per day, so be careful. The prompt field keeps track of how many generations are left. If you try to do more, Hotshot will show you the paid tiers.
It’s fun to watch Hotshot generate. First there’s a big black video screen, then it starts to fill with a grainy image of the generative interpretation. A progress bar lets you know how long it will take to complete the clip. When it’s done, you can play it, copy the link to your video, or download it (it’s in MP4 format). Regenerations require a premium account.
As Hotshot enters the competitive market of AI-generated videos, it faces the challenge of standing out in a market where many alternatives already exist.
The AI video model getting the most heat is OpenAI’s Sora, but that’s still barely available. There are more accessible options from Runway, Stability AI, and Luma Labs’ Dream Machine. Hotshot will have to act quickly to become more than a one-hit wonder, but there’s no shortage of interest fueling the industry for the foreseeable future.