AI video generator Kling AI has released version 4.0 with higher resolution, more precise controls, and a fast Flash variant that the company says should close the gap between AI-generated and professional video.
Users can now generate up to 30 seconds of video in a single pass, and the system accepts up to ten keyframe images as input to pin down scene transitions, character states, and story beats. Prompt comprehension has been expanded to 8,000 tokens.
The upgraded "Omni Reference" system accepts up to 15 reference assets in a single generation, according to Kling AI, including up to 10 images, 5 videos with a combined maximum of 30 seconds, and 7 elements. Storyboards, wireframes, image grids, white-model videos, and depth-map videos all work as references.
A "Creative Recreation" feature lets users take existing videos as templates and swap out products or characters. The company says individual elements like facial expressions, body movements, camera angles, or backgrounds can be tweaked without affecting the rest of the clip.
The video below compares Kling 4.0 against Wan 3.0 and Seedance 2.5, both from Chinese competitors. Kling 4.0 holds its own but doesn't pull ahead, especially when it comes to logical shot sequencing, physics, and natural-sounding dialogue. That could be an early sign that the breakneck pace of progress in AI video models is starting to level off, though the next Wan and Seedance releases will tell us more.
Stereo audio and multilingual speech round out the update
Kling 4.0 adds two-channel stereo audio and improved lip sync across more than ten languages, including German, English, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish, along with various dialects and accents, according to the company. In-video text generation now works in multiple languages too and stays stable during camera movements. 10-bit HDR output at 4K and 1080p and a video extension function that would stretch clips to up to two minutes are both listed as "coming soon" by Kling AI.
Alongside the main model, Kling AI is shipping a lighter Flash variant. Kling 4.0 Flash is designed for faster generation at lower cost, though it tops out at 720p and 20 seconds of video. The creation interface has been redesigned, and Kling 4.0 can now be accessed through MCP and CLI, which makes it possible to build automated workflows with AI agents. Pricing for the Kling 4.0 API hasn't been announced yet, with support listed as "coming soon."
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