What Is AI Video Editing?

Artificial intelligence (AI) video editing involves using AI tools to create or cut videos. Research suggests AI video editors will continue to grow, with a market valuation expected to reach $1 million by 2032 [1].

Professional video editors combine their artistic and technical skills to produce a visual story, but it's often time-consuming. With the emergence of AI technology, editors can use AI to automate tasks and streamline some of the more tedious chores involved in the editing process. 

AI tools can help editors create transcripts, manage color levels, adjust audio, and remove unwanted pauses. By streamlining some of these tasks, the editor can focus more on storytelling, special effects, and other aspects that sweeten the video.   

Read more: 5 AI Trends to Watch

Examples of AI editing features

Each AI video editor is different, but many offer similar features. Discover some possibilities of what you can do using AI video editors.  

1. Produce rough cuts via transcripts.

AI tools can quickly generate a video transcript and identify each speaker. You can highlight the text you want from the transcript, and AI tools will drop those soundbites on the timeline for you, leaving out anything you didn't highlight. The result is a proficiently produced rough cut that editors can start from. 

Without using AI tools, assembling a rough cut takes considerable time. Editors watch the footage, arrange clips in sequential order, and start to establish a flow. With AI, editors can streamline the process. 

2. Clear awkward pauses or unwanted words.

Some AI editing platforms can remove awkward or unwanted words with a bulk deletion feature. Editors no longer have to use their time to remove words like 'uh' or 'um,' for example, because AI software can do it for you.

3. Perform automatic color correcting.

Rather than manually correcting color temperatures and applying the changes to your clips, AI can streamline the process. It can identify and apply the appropriate color grade for you, meaning common issues with white balance, skin tones, and exposure are fixed and consistent throughout your video. 

AI video editing tools can also learn from your color choices and factor them into the decision-making process.  

4. Edit audio.

Many post-production hours are spent improving audio. Whether you're trying to erase loud background noises, remove distortion, or amplify the talent's voice, AI audio editing can help you make the necessary adjustments. 

5. Create videos from scratch with avatars.

Certain platforms help you turn a script into a video without a set, cameras, or event talent. You simply write a script, pick a model or avatar, and the platform can produce a "talking head" video for you. 

Pros and cons of AI editing

As with any software, you’ll find benefits and drawbacks associated with using AI video editing tools. Before using them, it’s essential to consider both the advantages and potential downsides.  

Pro: Automation of tasks

AI video editing can remove several manual, tedious tasks that editors perform. From transcribing audio to adjusting a video's color temperature, AI automates these time-intensive tasks that editors must do to complete a finished product. 

Pro: Ease of use

While professional editors can leverage AI tools, so can amateurs. One of AI video editing’s biggest draws is how easy these tools are to use. Anyone interested in video editing can use the customization tools to make quality videos. 

Pro: Cost savings

AI has the potential to save money, especially for anyone who deals with bulk video. With AI tools' many features, including footage organization, transcription, and automated enhancements, companies can spend less time on each video. 

Con: Lack of creativity

Humans are creative by nature; machines aren't. When you ask a machine to aid in the creative process, its lack of feelings can alter the final product. In addition, any creativity AI tools provide stems from existing works, further stifling creativity and originality. 

Con: Job displacement

Many employees, not just video editors, worry that AI tools could leave them without a job. While many AI tools in video editing support an editor, some worry automation will become a more effective tool for companies. If this concerns you, remember that AI can’t duplicate the creativity, storytelling, and collaboration humans bring to the video editing process. 

What is AI video editing used for? 

AI video editing provides time-saving features that help editors achieve a polished video faster. Both amateur and professional editors use it to streamline the post-production process. While AI tools vary, many perform these tasks: 

• Automated video edits

• AI facial recognition

• Color correction

• Audio editing

• Scene recognition

• Speech-to-text transcription

These tasks can help video editors generate movies, commercials, ads, corporate videos, testimonials, and marketing content. 

Who uses AI video editing?

Anyone who edits content can use AI video editing tools. While film or advertising editors likely come to mind because their careers focus on video, others in the entertainment or content creation industry can use it, too, including the following four careers.

1. Content developer

Average annual base salary (US): $65,741 [2]

A content developer creates content to support a brand. From educational to corporate videos, content creators can use AI to aid in video production. 

2. Multimedia designers

Average annual base salary (US): $85,199 [3]

Using various visual media to connect with an audience, multimedia designers work with video and animation to inform and entertain. 

3. Animator

Average annual base salary (US): $66,483 [4]

Animators use specialized computer programs to bring images to life. Often working in the film or TV industry, animators are tech-savvy and work to create a unique type of content. 

4. Digital marketers

Average annual base salary (US): $68,739 [5]

Drawing on technology, digital marketers use email, social media, and other digital channels to reach an audience, usually on behalf of a company. AI-powered tools can aid in data gathering, automation, and video editing. 

Read more: What Is Digital Marketing? Types, Skills, and Careers

How to start AI video editing

If you'd like to explore AI video editing, consider how you'll use it, what you need it for, and the beneficial features. Also, on your checklist, research a platform's ability to:

• Automate tasks

• Scale with your business

• Integrate with platforms you already use

• Safeguard data 

• Provide technical support 

As you narrow your search, consider trying a few platforms to see how it fits into your daily routine. The following list offers several AI video editing platforms to consider.

• Synthesia: For those looking to turn text into video using pre-built avatars, Synthesia could be your tool of choice. You can write a script, choose a model, collect feedback from colleagues, and tweak the video until you're happy with it. 

• Adobe Premiere Pro: Video editors are likely familiar with Adobe, a software company that offers a full suite of video editing tools. Its AI video editing platform is tailored toward professional video editors with features like text-based editing, automatic color corrections, and transcript generation.

• Runway: This software has the power to ideate, generate, and edit videos. With text-to-video, you can use avatars to create a video or bring in your own footage and use special effects like slow motion or filters to blur faces. The platform also works with still images, animation, and audio. 

Get started with Coursera.

If you're interested in starting a career in video editing, online classes can help you improve your skills. On Coursera, you can take various post-production classes, like The Art of Visual Storytelling, offered by the University of Colorado Boulder. In this class, learners pitch an idea for a video, shoot footage, and edit it using storytelling principles.