What is Optical Flow?
A computer vision technique that estimates the motion of objects between video frames. Used for temporal consistency, frame interpolation, and motion analysis.
How it works
Optical flow computes the apparent motion of pixels between consecutive video frames, producing a vector field that describes how each pixel moved. In AI video, optical flow is used internally by many models to maintain temporal consistency, ensuring objects move smoothly rather than jumping between positions. It is also used in post-production for frame interpolation, motion tracking, and stabilization. Understanding optical flow helps explain why some AI-generated videos have smooth motion while others exhibit temporal artifacts: models with better optical flow estimation produce more physically plausible movement.
Tools that use optical flow
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
What does optical flow mean in AI video?▾
Need AI video produced by professionals, not generated by yourself?
Apostle is an AI-native video production studio. We use every tool on this page in real client work.
Get in touch