Google Launches Another AI Tool (How Long Until They Kill It?) - August 31, 2025

Google announced this week that they're expanding Vids to all users with new AI features including AI avatars and image-to-video conversion. Before we get excited about Google's latest "revolutionary" tool, let's take a moment to remember the body count.

Welcome to the Google Product Graveyard

Google has a habit of launching products, getting people to depend on them, and then unceremoniously killing them off. The Google Graveyard is real, and it's extensive:

• Google Reader (2005-2013): RSS reader everyone loved. Killed because Google.
• Google+ (2011-2019): Social network nobody wanted but Google forced on everyone. Failed spectacularly.
• Google Wave (2009-2010): "Revolutionary" collaboration tool that lasted 1 year.
• Inbox by Gmail (2014-2019): Actually improved email. Killed to "focus on Gmail."
• Google Stadia (2019-2023): Cloud gaming platform. Dead after burning billions.
• Google Domains (2015-2023): Domain registrar that worked fine. Sold to Squarespace.
• Google Podcasts (2018-2024): Podcast app. Killed for YouTube Music integration.

And that's just the famous ones. Google has killed over 290 products according to the comprehensive Google Graveyard database.

So Why Should You Trust Google Vids?

You shouldn't. Here's what Google promises Vids can do:

• Create "photorealistic AI avatars" for video narration
• Convert images to videos with AI magic
• Generate complete videos from text scripts
• Integrate seamlessly with Google Workspace

Sounds impressive, right? So did Google Wave. So did Google+. So did Stadia.

The Features Actually Sound Useful (Which Makes It Worse)

Here's the cruel irony: Google Vids actually looks pretty good. The AI avatar feature is genuinely impressive - you can create custom digital presenters that look realistic and speak naturally. The image-to-video conversion tools and transcript-based editing actually solve real problems.

The image-to-video conversion works better than most competitors. The script-to-video generation is surprisingly capable. For small businesses and content creators, this could actually solve real problems.

Which makes it even more frustrating when Google inevitably kills it.

The Google Product Launch Playbook

Google follows the same pattern every time:

1. Launch with fanfare: "Revolutionary new tool that will change everything!"
2. Limited initial rollout: "Enterprise customers first, then expanding to everyone!"
3. Gradual feature additions: "New AI capabilities every month!"
4. Stagnation period: No major updates for 6-12 months.
5. The blog post: "We're focusing our efforts on [other product] and sunsetting [current product]."
6. Migration period: "Export your data by [date] or lose it forever."
7. Digital death: Product disappears from the internet.

Why Google Kills Products (The Real Reasons)

Google doesn't kill products because they fail - they kill them because:

• Internal politics: New VP wants to launch their own thing
• Attention span: Google gets bored and chases shiny new technologies
• Resource allocation: Engineers get reassigned to "higher priority" projects
• Strategic shifts: Company decides to focus on ads/search/cloud instead

Google Reader had millions of users when they killed it. Inbox was beloved by productivity enthusiasts. Google+ had decent adoption in some markets. None of that mattered.

The Competition Angle

Google Vids competes with companies like Synthesia, Runway, and Luma Labs - startups focused specifically on AI video generation. These companies live or die by their products, unlike Google which treats video creation as just another experiment.

Google competes with everyone on everything, which means they're not really committed to anything. Video creation is just another experiment for them.

If Vids doesn't become the next YouTube within 2-3 years, they'll kill it and move resources to whatever AI trend is hot next.

Should You Use Google Vids?

Here's the depressing reality: Google Vids is probably pretty good. The AI features work, the integration with Workspace is smooth, and it's free (for now).

But don't build your business around it. Don't make it critical to your workflow. Don't fall in love with it.

Because Google will kill it. Maybe not this year, maybe not next year, but they will kill it. And when they do, you'll get a cheerful blog post about "focusing on our core priorities" and 30 days to export your data.

The Safe Bet: Use It, Don't Depend On It

If you need AI video creation tools, try Google Vids alongside other options. Use it for non-critical projects. Enjoy the free features while they last.

But also try Synthesia for AI avatars, Runway for advanced video AI, Luma for Dream Machine, and other dedicated AI video companies. They might not have Google's resources, but they won't kill your favorite features because they got bored.

Bottom Line: Enjoy the Ride While It Lasts

Google Vids might be around for 2-3 years if we're lucky. That's enough time to create some cool videos and maybe save money on video production.

Just remember: in the tech world, the only constant is Google killing products you've grown to love. Plan accordingly.

Welcome to the Google ecosystem, where everything is amazing until it's not, and then it's gone forever.