As of December 9, 2025, the world of generative AI video is undergoing a rapid and dramatic transformation, largely driven by the continuous, groundbreaking updates from Pika Labs. The latest feature that has creators buzzing isn't a new model like Pika 2.2, but a specific tool often dubbed the "replacement box"—a powerful, intuitive mechanism for object replacement and modification within a generated video.

This "replacement box," technically known as Pikaswaps or the video inpainting feature, represents a massive leap forward from simple text-to-video generation. It allows users to isolate a specific area or object in their video and replace it with a new element using a simple text prompt or an image, eliminating the need for complex, frame-by-frame manual editing. This capability is fundamentally changing how creators approach VFX and iterative video design.

The "Replacement Box" Explained: Pikaswaps and Video Inpainting

The core concept of the Pika Labs "replacement box" is its ability to perform highly localized, context-aware editing. Unlike earlier AI models that required regenerating an entire clip to change a single element, Pika's latest iteration, which includes features like Pikaswaps and Pikadditions, uses a selection area—the metaphorical "box"—to focus the generative power.

What is Video Inpainting?

Video inpainting is the technical term for this process. It involves masking a specific region of a video and then filling that area with new, AI-generated content that seamlessly matches the surrounding movement, lighting, and style of the existing footage. Pika Labs has refined this to a point where the replacement is nearly instantaneous and maintains temporal consistency, meaning the new object moves and interacts realistically within the scene.

• Pikaswaps: This is the primary function of the "replacement box." It lets a user swap one object for another. For example, changing a glass of water into a glowing orb, or replacing a character's shirt with a new texture, all by simply drawing a box around the target and entering a new prompt.
• Pikadditions: A related feature that allows users to *add* new objects into an empty or existing space within the video frame. This expands the "replacement box" concept to include insertion, not just swapping.
• Pikatwists: This feature focuses on transforming or stylizing an existing object rather than a complete replacement, offering a fast way to test visual effects (VFX) on specific elements.

This level of granular control is a game-changer for digital artists, filmmakers, and marketers who rely on fast iterations and high-quality visual effects.

How to Use the Pika AI Replacement Feature: A Step-by-Step Guide

Accessing the power of the "replacement box" is designed to be intuitive, primarily utilizing the web-based Pika Labs platform (pika.art). There's no complex software to download; the entire process is streamlined for rapid prototyping and creation.

Step 1: Access the Pikaswaps Tool

Navigate to the Pika Labs interface. Look for the dedicated Pikaswaps or Inpainting icon, which is usually prominently featured on the homepage or within the editing suite.

Step 2: Upload or Generate Your Base Video

You can either upload an existing video clip or generate a new one using Pika's standard text-to-video or image-to-video features (like Pikaframes, which is available in Pika 2.2). The base video should be the one containing the object you wish to replace.

Step 3: Define the "Replacement Box" Area

Use the selection tool to draw a box or a mask around the object or area you want to modify. Precision is key here; the AI will focus its generative efforts exclusively within this defined region. This is the literal application of the "replacement box."

Step 4: Prompt the Replacement

In the prompt box, describe the new object or element you want to appear inside the selected area. For example, if you selected a simple wall, your prompt might be: "A vibrant, animated graffiti mural." The AI will then generate the new content, ensuring it adheres to the prompt while maintaining the original video's motion and perspective.

Step 5: Review and Refine

The Pika AI will process the request and present the modified video. You can then review the result and make further adjustments to the prompt or the selection box until the replacement is perfect. This iterative process is what makes the tool so effective for professional workflows.

Beyond the Box: The Future of Pika Labs and Generative Video

The "replacement box" technology is not an endpoint but a stepping stone toward a more refined and controlled era of generative video. By focusing on localized editing, Pika Labs is addressing one of the biggest challenges in AI video: the lack of precise control over individual elements.

Topical Authority and Key Entities

The evolution of Pika Labs, from its Discord Beta Launch in April 2023 to the current Pika 2.2 model, shows a clear trend toward feature specialization. The integration of "replacement box" features like Pikaswaps and Pikadditions solidifies Pika's position against competitors by prioritizing user-friendly, high-utility tools for object replacement and video inpainting.

The ability to perform key frame transitions and extended video length generations (up to 10 seconds with Pikaframes) further enhances the utility of the "replacement box," allowing creators to replace objects in longer, more complex scenes. As Pika Labs continues to push out frequent updates, the precision and realism of the inpainting feature are only expected to improve, leading to a future where traditional VFX pipelines are significantly streamlined, if not partially replaced, by AI tools.

The ultimate goal for generative AI, and what Pika Labs is clearly moving toward, is a complete decoupling of elements within a video. Imagine being able to edit a video like a layered Photoshop file, where the background, the subject, and the props can all be modified independently with a simple prompt. The "replacement box" is the current, most accessible interface to that powerful future.