# Imagine Video 1.5 Multi-Ref and 1080p: Character Consistency Becomes the Product

Times of AI Desk · 2026-07-31 · Models

[https://timesof.ai/2026/07/spacexai-imagine-video-1-5-references](https://timesof.ai/2026/07/spacexai-imagine-video-1-5-references)

> xAI upgraded Imagine Video 1.5 with text, image, and voice references (up to seven image refs), native 1080p, and prompt-only text-to-video—rolling first to US SuperGrok Heavy and Plus. The trade is production-ready character consistency, not another one-shot clip model.

Video generation is shifting from one-shot clips to **character-consistent production**—same face, same voice, controllable scenes. Multi-ref plus native 1080p is the table-stakes bet xAI is making against Runway, Luma, and Google’s Omni-class stacks.

**xAI** shipped **Imagine Video 1.5 with References**—a capability update on last month’s Imagine Video 1.5 base. Creators can condition on **text, image, and voice** (up to **seven** image refs), run **text-to-video** without a starter frame, and export **native 1080p**. Consumer rollout starts with **US SuperGrok Heavy and Plus** on **grok.com/imagine** and **iOS**, expanding to all tiers. API model id **`grok-imagine-video-1.5`** has image refs, text-to-video, and 1080p live; **voice reference** is available on request.

## What shipped

| Capability | Detail (x.ai primary) |
|------------|------------------------|
| **Product** | **Imagine Video 1.5 with References** |
| **References** | Text + **image** + **voice**; up to **7** image refs |
| **Consistency** | Hold face **and** voice across scenes; swap character vs scene independently |
| **Text-to-video** | Prompt-only generation (pairs image gen + I2V pipeline) |
| **Resolution** | **Native 1080p** for T2V and I2V |
| **Consumer access** | US **SuperGrok Heavy / Plus** day one; all tiers rolling out |
| **Surfaces** | grok.com/imagine, iOS, Android (T2V/1080p called out as GA on those) |
| **API model** | `grok-imagine-video-1.5` |

Prior **Imagine Video 1.5** (June) improved motion, physics, and audio. This release is the **reference-consistency and resolution** step. Distinct from **Grok 4.5**, **Build Mode**, and **Voice Think Fast 2.0**—same Grok Imagine media line, different SKU.

No independent preference-board Elo for this SKU is cited in the primary; quality vs Runway Gen-4.x / Luma remains a buyer-side check.

## Limits

- Voice-ref general availability and API pricing/duration limits are still settling.
- SuperGrok Heavy/Plus first; broader tier timing is rollout, not day-one GA for all.
- Deepfake / identity-leak enforcement is stated as policy, not independently audited here.

## Sources

- [xAI: Imagine Video 1.5 with References (July 31, 2026)](https://x.ai/news/grok-imagine-video-1-5-references)
- [xAI video generation API docs](https://docs.x.ai/developers/model-capabilities/video/generation)
- [xAI: Grok Imagine Video 1.5 (June 16, 2026 base)](https://x.ai/news/grok-imagine-video-1-5)