What Are AI Shorts? How They Work & Why They’re Exploding in 2025

AI Shorts are short vertical videos created with the help of artificial intelligence – the AI can assist with everything from writing the script and narrating the voiceover to generating visuals and editing the final clip.

Have you ever watched a snappy 30-second video and thought, “How did they make this so fast?” Chances are an AI was working behind the scenes. AI-assisted shorts are popping up everywhere in 2025. They look just like your usual TikToks, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts, but there’s a twist: a lot of the heavy lifting (scripting, voice, editing) was done by algorithms. The result? Creators (and even brands) can pump out engaging videos at a pace that would make a 2020-era YouTuber spit out their coffee.

These AI-crafted videos come in faceless formats too. Not comfortable being on camera? No problem. Many viral “AI Shorts” never show the creator’s face or voice at all. Instead, you might see stock footage, screenshots, or animation with a slick AI voice narrating. It’s still your story or idea, but you’ve got a robot assistant handling the camera work and voice acting. Pretty cool, right?

In fact, this blend of human creativity and AI automation is changing the game. You bring the ideas; the AI helps execute them. As a result, creators who embrace these tools can iterate faster, try more ideas, and potentially hit that viral jackpot sooner. (And if you’re worried about AI replacing human creators, don’t be — we’ll touch on that, but spoiler: the smartest creators are using AI with their own creativity, not letting it run wild alone.)

Table of Contents

1. Understanding AI Shorts
2. How AI Shorts Work
3. Popular AI Short Formats in 2025
4. Why AI Shorts Are Exploding in 2025
5. How to Make AI Shorts (Step-by-Step)
6. Wrapping Up

Understanding AI Shorts

So what exactly are AI Shorts? In simple terms, they’re just like any other short-form vertical video — the kind you see on TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts — except AI plays a role in creating them. That might mean an AI wrote the script, or provided the voiceover, or even generated some of the visuals. Think of AI Shorts as the love child of traditional video creation and the latest AI tech.

For example, imagine you want to make a 60-second video about 5 amazing facts about space. In the old days, you’d research facts, write a script, record yourself talking (or at least do a voiceover), find or film visuals, and edit it all together. With AI, a lot of that can be done for you or at least made a lot easier:

• 💡 Research & Script: You could have an AI help brainstorm or even draft the script. (Goodbye writer’s block!)
• 🎙️ Voiceover: Not a fan of your own voice? Text-to-speech AI voices are so natural now that your audience might not tell the difference. You just feed in the script, and out comes a voiceover with perfect timing.
• 🎥 Visuals: No video clips of your own? AI image and video generators can create illustrative images or even short video snippets. Or you can have AI sift through stock footage for you.
• ✂️ Editing: Some AI tools auto-cut dead air, add captions (those flashy captions that you see on all the viral vids), and even time the video to upbeat music.

The end result: you’ve got a polished short video, and you might not have touched a camera or a microphone at all. It’s your content, but accelerated by AI.

Now, AI Shorts can be faceless videos or not. “Faceless” just means you, the creator, never appear on camera. Plenty of AI Shorts creators remain behind the scenes — their videos might show gameplay, slideshow visuals, animations, or text on screen while an AI voice narrates. These formats are popular for niches like tech explainers, history facts, top-10 lists, or motivational quotes. If you’re camera-shy or just want to run multiple channels without cloning yourself, AI Shorts open that door. You can maintain several “faceless” channels on different topics, each churning out content with an AI helping to automate the workload.

It’s also worth noting that AI Shorts are not completely hands-off. You still need to guide the AI. You choose the topic, feed the AI a prompt or outline, pick which AI-generated visuals to use, etc. The creativity and strategy are still human – the AI is the assistant that never sleeps. As we explore in our AI vs Human Creators article, the magic happens when you combine your personal touch (ideas, humor, storytelling) with AI’s speed and scale. The AI can’t replace your sense of what’s entertaining or meaningful, but it can save you a ton of time executing it.

How AI Shorts Work

Let’s peel back the curtain on how AI Shorts are actually made. How does a video go from an idea in your head to something that viewers can’t scroll away from — all with AI’s help? Here’s the typical workflow of creating an AI Short:

• 1. Idea & Scripting: Every video starts with an idea. Maybe it’s “the fastest animals in the world” or a quick how-to on investing. You can brainstorm five video ideas in one sitting, then enlist AI to flesh them out. For instance, you might use a generative AI like ChatGPT to draft a short script or outline. Often, I’ll prompt the AI with “Give me a 60-second script for a video about X in a fun, upbeat tone” and see what it comes up with. The AI’s suggestion might not be perfect, but it’s a huge jumpstart. (Pro tip: the more specific your prompt, the better the script. And always tweak it to add your personal flair or correct any facts.)

• 2. Voiceover: If you don’t plan to use your own voice, this is where text-to-speech AI comes in. Tools now let you choose from dozens of voices — from a calm narrator tone to an excited teen influencer vibe. For example, you could select an AI voice that sounds like a friendly coach, paste in your script, and boom: you have an audio track. The quality in 2025 is wild; the AI voices have emotion and pacing that used to require a paid voice actor. (Platforms like Shoorts even offer voices optimized for specific formats, whether it’s a dramatic storytelling voice or a peppy promo style.)

• 3. Visuals & Footage: Here you have options. Many creators use stock video libraries (some AI tools can automatically fetch relevant stock clips for your script). Others go the fully AI route: generative AI can create images or short video loops based on text prompts. YouTube itself is integrating this — they announced a feature called Dream Screen that will let creators generate AI backgrounds and video clips for their Shorts. Imagine typing “futuristic city skyline” and instantly getting a moving background for your green-screen video – that’s where we are headed. In fact, the latest update (Veo 3 from Google DeepMind) is going to improve the quality of these AI-generated clips and even add AI-generated sound to them. So yes, AI can conjure visuals out of thin air now. If that’s too high-tech, the fallback is classic B-roll: nature scenes, city drone shots, product close-ups – plenty of sites (and some AI search tools) can give you free or cheap stock footage in a jiffy.

• 4. Editing & Effects: Editing is arguably where AI saves tons of time. Ever notice how engaging Shorts and Reels have captions that pop up word by word, or sound effects at just the right moment? AI can auto-generate those captions (with styles, emojis, and all) by transcribing your voiceover. Some tools detect the “beats” of the video and sync your footage changes to the music. There are even AI video editors that cut out silences or pick the most interesting parts of a longer video to create a short highlight reel. Essentially, AI is like an assistant editor: you give it the pieces (voiceover, clips, images, music), and it helps assemble them on the timeline. Of course, you can still tweak the final cut – maybe slow down a clip for dramatic effect or add a manual subtitle for emphasis – but the heavy lifting of aligning everything can be automated.

• 5. Finishing Touches: Lastly, you add any extras: a catchy background music track (lots of royalty-free ones available, and AI can even suggest based on the mood of your video), filters or color grading (to give your short a consistent look), and your branding (logo or social handle watermark). AI won’t add your personal logo by itself, but once you have a template set up, it’s easy to apply it to each new video. Some creators also use AI for A/B testing different captions or thumbnails for their videos to see which one grabs more attention.

Behind all these steps, remember that you remain the director. AI is the intern who works super fast and doesn’t mind the grunt work. You might go through these steps in a single app/platform or use a couple of different tools in tandem. For example, one app might generate the voice and edit, while you use a separate AI art tool for a specific visual. But increasingly in 2025, platforms (like Shoorts and others) are trying to be one-stop-shops: you input your idea, choose a style, and they handle script-to-video generation end-to-end.

One more exciting development: AI characters and avatars. Suppose you do want a “person” in your video, but it doesn’t have to be you. AI can create virtual presenters – literally a photo-realistic avatar that lip-syncs your AI-generated voiceover. There are influencers who are actually AI personas now. While that’s a bit advanced for the average creator, it’s becoming more accessible. You could have a virtual newscaster reading your top 10 facts, for instance. It’s another way AI Shorts are evolving beyond the traditional notion of what a creator is.

Popular AI Short Formats in 2025

When it comes to content, AI Shorts are as diverse as any other videos. But there are definitely some trending formats in 2025 that have risen to popularity, often because AI makes them easier to produce. Here are a few hot ones you’ve probably seen (and can try yourself):

• 📝 Listicles & “Top 5” Countdowns: These are everywhere, from “Top 5 remote work hacks” to “Top 10 scariest deep-sea creatures.” The format is formulaic (in a good way): a hook to grab attention (“You won’t believe number 1…”), followed by a rapid-fire list of items with quick descriptions. AI helps by generating the script for each item and even finding images or video clips of each list item. A voiceover (often AI) narrates the list. Because these videos don’t require a presenter on camera, they’re a prime example of faceless AI Shorts. And audiences love listicles – they’re predictable and satisfying.

• 📚 Storytime & Explainer Narratives: Think of those mini documentary-style shorts or the ones that start with “Did you know…?” and then tell a story. Maybe it’s a weird historical anecdote, a true crime tidbit, or an explanation of how something works (in 60 seconds or less). Creators are using AI to pull facts and even write the narrative in an engaging way. Visuals can be a mix of stock photos, subtitles, and sometimes subtle animations. The voice is often an AI narrator that sounds like a knowledgeable storyteller. This format works great for educational content creators or anyone sharing interesting stories without wanting to film themselves talking.

• 💬 Reddit Reads (Text-to-Video): If you’ve seen those videos where an onscreen text conversation or a Reddit post is read aloud, you know this genre. Usually it’s an actual screenshot of a Reddit thread or a fictional text message exchange, with an AI voice acting it out. They often cover relatable scenarios or funny Q&As. These videos are basically screencap + AI voice. It’s a pure faceless style and super quick to produce, since the “content” is user-generated text to begin with. AI just narrates and sometimes highlights the text as it’s read. This became a trend as text-to-speech got better and people realized they could turn any engaging written content into a video.

• 🎨 Animated Shorts: Not Pixar-level animation, but simple 2D or 3D animated characters acting out a short skit or demonstrating something. AI can help here by generating character movements or even whole scenes from text prompts (there are AI tools that turn a script into an animation sequence, though results can be hit-or-miss). A common approach is using platforms that have pre-made animated avatars: you feed in the script, pick an avatar (like a cartoon presenter or a 3D talking head), and the tool animates it lip-syncing the script. Voila – you have a talking character video with minimal effort. This format is growing because it’s a fun way to create content for, say, a brand mascot or just to stand out with a unique style.

• 🚀 POV / First-Person Shorts: These feel like vlogs or day-in-the-life snippets but can actually be done without showing a real person. For example, a “day in the life of a digital nomad” might be compiled from stock POV footage (like hands on a laptop, walking through an airport, sipping coffee with a laptop on the beach – you get the idea) with an AI voice saying “I woke up at 7am to the sound of waves…”. It’s a bit like an infomercial style or mini narrative, and AI helps stitch together the story and find relevant visuals. This can blend human and AI – maybe you film a few clips from your perspective and let AI fill in the gaps.

• ⚡ Meme-style Fact Blasts: These are high-energy, quick-cut videos often using big bold text, sound effects, and a mix of images. Example: “Fast Facts: 5 Things You Didn’t Know About the Sun.” Each fact flashes on screen with an image (perhaps AI-generated or grabbed via AI search) and a synthetic voice spitting out the fact at auctioneer speed. They work because they’re super engaging visually (text flying in, maybe an emoji reaction). AI is perfect for these because you can automate pulling the facts and creating the text overlays. If you’ve ever seen those shorts with the robotic voice and stock footage giving random trivia, that’s exactly it. They might not feel high-brow, but they get insane views due to sheer shareability.

These formats barely scratch the surface. Creators are getting experimental, combining these styles or inventing new ones. One creator might do a listicle with an animated avatar host. Another might do a POV travel vlog entirely with AI-generated scenery (yes, that’s a thing). The main point: AI lowers the effort for each format, so creators can try formats they wouldn’t have before. If you’re curious about more styles, check out our dedicated post on AI Shorts formats where we dive deeper into the trends and examples.

Also, consider the platform when choosing a format:

• On TikTok, you might lean into meme-y, text-heavy shorts because TikTok’s audience loves edgy, fast content.
• On Instagram Reels, maybe a polished list with pretty visuals works better, since Instagram’s vibe is a tad more aesthetic.
• On YouTube Shorts, anything goes, but remember YouTube has search – so a how-to or explainer short can actually rank and be discovered long after it’s posted.

The good news? AI can help repurpose one video into multiple styles. You could take your listicle script and have an AI reformat it as a text-post read for TikTok, for instance. The versatility is endless when the content is modular and AI-assisted.

Why AI Shorts Are Exploding in 2025

If it feels like short videos are everywhere this year, you’re not imagining it. 2025 is truly the year short-form video hits full stride, and AI is pouring fuel on that fire. Here’s why AI-driven shorts are exploding right now:

1. Insane Viewer Demand (Shorts Mania): Audience appetite for bite-sized content keeps growing. We’re all guilty of scrolling Reels or TikTok for an hour when we only meant to peek for five minutes. The stats back it up: as of mid-2025, YouTube Shorts rack up over 200 billion views per day. Yes, billion with a “B” – daily! That number is 186% higher than the year before. Gen Z and Millennials are especially hooked on short videos; a recent analysis highlighted that these generations prefer “bite-size video snippets” over lengthy content. In plain English, people love quick hits of entertainment/information, and they’re watching more than ever.

2. Algorithm & Platform Push: Every major platform is doubling down on shorts. And when platforms push a feature, creators have extra incentive to jump in. For example, YouTube changed how it counts Shorts views in March 2025 – now every time a Short starts playing (even if someone scrolls past immediately), it counts as a view. This aligned YouTube’s system with TikTok’s and Instagram’s, and suddenly everyone saw their Shorts view counts shoot up. (Higher numbers = happy creators = more people making Shorts.) Instagram, not to be outdone, extended Reels length to 3 minutes in January 2025, doubling the previous cap. Why? Because creators wanted more flexibility for storytelling, and Meta wants Reels to compete with longer TikToks. They even tested 10-minute Reels, though those aren’t rolled out yet. The point is, these companies are heavily incentivizing short video content – they’re tweaking algorithms to favor it, adding new creation tools, and in some cases, literally paying creators to post shorts (TikTok’s Creator Fund, YouTube’s Shorts bonuses before ad rev share kicked in, etc.). When the red carpet is rolled out like that, you can bet content creators will sprint down it.

3. Monetization & Business Boom: In early days, short videos weren’t great for making money as a creator. But that’s changing fast. YouTube introduced an ad revenue share for Shorts in 2023, and by 2025 some creators are actually earning a living from Shorts alone. Over at Meta, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Reels has an annual revenue run rate of over $50 billion (with a B!) as of Q3 2025. That figure is mind-blowing and signals that ads on Reels (across Instagram and Facebook) are bringing in serious cash. When billions are on the table, you know Meta is going to push Reels content everywhere it can. More money in the ecosystem also means more serious creators flock to short-form, which means more (and better) content for viewers, which attracts more viewers… it’s a virtuous cycle. Essentially, short videos aren’t just a side hobby anymore; they’re a core part of the creator economy, with brands sponsoring them and platforms monetizing them. AI comes into this by lowering production costs – if you can make 5x more videos with the help of AI, you have 5x more chances to hit those payouts or sponsorships.

4. AI Lowers the Barrier to Entry: This is key — thanks to AI, anyone can create shorts now, not just those with video editing skills or on-camera charisma. Have a cool idea or expertise to share, but shy on camera? Let an AI avatar present for you. Don’t have time to film? Let an AI generate visuals. Not a native English speaker? Use AI dubbing or auto-translation (YouTube even has an AI dubbing feature now for multiple languages). The result is a flood of new creators joining the fray in 2025. Many of them would never have tried making videos before. I’ve seen small business owners using AI to create TikToks advertising their products without hiring a marketing team. I’ve seen educators pumping out daily explainer Shorts using AI to handle the grunt work of editing and captioning. More creators = more content = more chances for something to go viral. The playing field is leveling out; you no longer need a $5,000 camera and Adobe Premiere skills to make a viral video. You just need an idea and a willingness to play with some AI tools.

5. Fast Iteration = More Innovation: Because AI makes it quicker to create videos, creators can iterate and experiment at a pace unheard of a few years ago. In the past, if you wanted to try 10 different video ideas, that might take you 10 weeks of work. Now with AI, it might take 10 days. This means by the time one trend is peaking, creators can already have content out riding that wave. Trends themselves are evolving faster too — micro-genres and memes spawn, peak, and fade sometimes within a month. AI-aided creators are often the first to jump on a trend (or create one) because they can produce content the moment inspiration strikes, without worrying about, “Oh no, do I have time to film and edit this?” The overall creativity we’re seeing in the short-form space is through the roof. Sure, not every AI-assisted video is a masterpiece (there’s a lot of spammy, low-quality stuff out there too, not gonna lie). But the gems rise to the top, and there are more gems than ever simply due to sheer volume being tried.

To sum it up: short videos were already on a rocket ride, and AI is like an extra booster engine that kicked in. It’s enabling more people to create, helping creators pump out content faster, and even making the content more engaging in some cases. If you’re watching a short video in 2025, there’s a good chance AI had a hand in it somewhere. And as viewers, we’re eating it up. Our feeds are full of quick, clever videos tailored to every niche interest, and we keep scrolling for more. It’s a feedback loop of demand and supply that shows no sign of slowing. As a creator, it’s both exciting and a little intimidating — the train’s leaving the station and you don’t want to miss it. But the good news is the train (AI) is offering free rides: hop on and it’ll help you get where you want to go.

(Fun fact: Even YouTube’s CEO noted that fandoms now drive culture and that Shorts are one of the easiest ways to jump into creating content. When the heads of platforms are highlighting a format like that, you know it’s central to the future. Short-form is officially not a fad — it’s a fixture.)

How to Make AI Shorts (Step-by-Step)

Ready to make an AI Short yourself? It might sound technical, but it’s actually pretty straightforward once you do it once or twice. Here’s a quick step-by-step roadmap to creating your first AI-assisted short video:

1. Pick a niche and format. Choose one topic (your niche) and a video style to stick with for at least a few weeks. Maybe you’re into personal finance tips, or maybe it’s funny cat facts. Pick something you can imagine making 20+ videos about. Also pick a format that suits you: listicle, story narration, how-to tutorial, etc. Focusing will help you improve faster and build an audience. (Example: “I’ll do cooking hacks in a top-5 list style.” Boom, that’s your niche+format.)

2. Draft a few hooks. The hook is the first 2–3 seconds of your short – it has to grab attention. Write five potential opening lines or visual ideas that would make someone stop scrolling. You can even ask an AI tool for hook ideas (“Give me 5 shocking opening lines for a video about XYZ”). For instance, a hook could be “This gadget saved me $500 last year – and almost no one knows about it.” Make it punchy or intriguing.

3. Write a short script. Jot down the main points you want to cover after the hook. Keep it concise – 60 seconds of talking is about 150 words or so. If writing’s not your thing, use an AI writer. Tools like ChatGPT or Shoorts’ AI script assistant can generate a draft script for you. You’ll likely tweak it, but it’s a great way to go from blank page to something workable. Make sure the script has a clear structure: hook → meat of content → quick conclusion or call-to-action.

4. Create or gather visuals. Based on your script, decide what visuals will be shown. If it’s a faceless video, this might be stock photos/videos or AI-generated images. Many AI short creators use sites like Pexels, Pixabay, or storyblocks to get royalty-free footage quickly. If you have access to an AI image generator (Midjourney, DALL·E 3, etc.), you can generate custom images for specific points (e.g., “a futuristic car” for a fact about cars of the future). Save all your clips and images in a folder – this is your asset library for the video.

5. Record or generate the voiceover. Now, either record yourself reading the script (on your phone is fine, no need for a fancy mic for starters) or choose an AI voice to do it. If using an AI voice, load up your script into your chosen tool and listen to a preview. Pick a voice style that matches your content – authoritative, friendly, excited, whatever fits. Generate the full voiceover audio and keep that file handy.

6. Edit and assemble. Open up a video editing tool – this could be a standard editor or an AI-powered one. Many AI video maker platforms will let you import your voiceover and script, then automatically sync text to visuals (some even auto-suggest visuals if you didn’t already pick them). Place your visuals in order according to the script. Cut them to match the length of each narration part. Add text captions if your platform doesn’t do it automatically – captions are highly recommended, since a lot of people watch shorts with sound off. Stylize the text a bit: bold keywords, change colors for emphasis, etc., to keep it visually engaging. Lastly, drop in a background music track if it suits the video (keep it low volume under your voiceover).

7. Optimize the finishing touches. Before you hit publish, add a title/description (if on YouTube) or a catchy caption (for TikTok/Reels). Throw in a few hashtags that align with your topic (on TikTok and Instagram, hashtags can help; on YouTube, they’re less crucial but can’t hurt). On YouTube, pick a good thumbnail – sometimes a frame from the video with big text works. Since this is an AI Short, you likely have some bold text in the video; consider using that as the thumbnail text too. Double-check your video in preview – is the hook really attention-grabbing? Does the pacing feel snappy? If there’s any dull moment longer than a second or two, consider trimming it. Short-form viewers have zero patience.

8. Post and iterate. Upload that bad boy! Don’t worry if the first one isn’t perfect or doesn’t go viral. Pay attention to any analytics you get: retention time, drop-off point, comments. Did people re-watch it? (On TikTok and Reels, replays are a good sign.) Use that feedback to adjust your next video. The beauty of AI is you didn’t invest a ton of time, so you can comfortably try another idea or tweak your format without stress. Aim to post a few times a week at the start. The more reps you get, the more you’ll refine both your creative instincts and your use of the AI tools.

That’s the basic workflow. Once you get comfortable, you might streamline it further – for example, batch producing scripts then batch recording voices, etc. Many creators find a rhythm where Monday they script 5 videos, Tuesday they generate all voices and visuals, Wednesday they edit, and so on. AI will be there at each step to speed things up.

(Side note: If you’re using a platform like Shoorts that integrates several of these steps, your process might look a bit different – more like filling out a form with your idea and letting the platform do the assembly. Do whatever works for you. The steps above assume you’re mixing and matching tools manually to show you the fundamentals.)

Wrapping Up

AI Shorts aren’t just a buzzword or a passing fad in some futuristic lab – they’re here, on our feeds, right now, entertaining millions of people every minute. What’s happening in 2025 is a convergence of trends: short-form video taking over the internet and AI making content creation easier than ever. For creators (and that includes you, if you’re itching to start), it’s a huge opportunity. Imagine telling a creator five years ago that they could upload daily videos without ever picking up a camera or spending hours editing – they’d think you’re nuts. Yet here we are.

The takeaway: don’t overthink it, just start. Pick a simple idea and make an AI-assisted short. Maybe it flops, maybe it flies – either way, you’ll learn something and the next one will be better. The barrier to entry has never been lower. You’ve got an army of AI tools at your command (many with free trials or cheap plans) and a content-hungry audience waiting on the other side of that publish button.

Remember, success in short-form still comes down to connecting with the viewer. AI can’t do that part for you – your perspective, humor, or insight is the secret sauce. Use AI to package your sauce in a shiny bottle at lightning speed. As you refine your style and understand what your audience likes (check those retention graphs and comments!), you’ll find the right balance of AI automation and human creativity.

Finally, keep an eye on the broader picture. Platforms will continue evolving, new AI features will drop (you bet we’ll see even crazier stuff by late 2025 and beyond), and trends will shift. Stay curious and adaptable. If you’re ever unsure what to try next, our Ultimate Guide to AI Viral Shorts is a great resource to dig deeper into strategies and advanced tips. We cover everything from analytics to content planning in that guide, building on what we discussed here.

Alright, that’s a wrap for now! I hope you’re walking away with a clearer idea of what AI Shorts are and feeling excited to experiment. The playing field is wide open and favors doers. So go on – fire up your creative engine (with a little AI turbocharge) and start making those shorts. Who knows, your next 15-second clip could be the one that blows up overnight. And even if not, you’re building skills and having fun, all without the grind that used to weigh creators down.

Happy creating, and I’ll see you in the viral feed! 🚀