The 19 Best AI for Creation or Editing Video in 2026 (Honest Review)

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Top 19 AI Video Editing Tools in 2026: My Brutally Honest Test Results

Barcelona, Spain – March 2026. Three weeks ago, I sat in my tiny apartment near Gràcia, staring at a 45-minute raw footage dump from a client shoot. My deadline was 6 AM. It was already 11 PM. And I had just spent two hours manually cutting out “umms” and “ahhs” like some kind of digital lumberjack.

I wanted to throw my laptop out the window.

The 19 Best AI for Creation or Editing Video in 2026 (Honest Review)

Here’s the stupid mistake I made: I thought AI video tools were gimmicks. Flashy demos on Twitter that break the second you feed them real footage. So I kept doing everything manually. Frame-by-frame cuts. Manual captions. Hand-syncing audio like it was 2015.

Then I got desperate.

I spent the next two weeks testing 19 different AI video editing tools. Some changed my life. Some made me want to scream. And a few genuinely shocked me – like Gemini Omni catching a continuity error I completely missed (more on that later).

This isn’t some affiliate-fluff piece. I actually used every single tool on this list for real projects. Client work. Social media content. Even a cringey birthday video for my niece. I’ll tell you what’s worth your money, what’s free but frustrating, and what you should absolutely avoid.

Let’s get into it.

Key Takeaways (TL;DR)

  • CapCut AI Upscale saved my ass when a client sent me 480p phone footage. It’s not magic, but it’s damn close.
  • Runway ML is still the king for generative video, but Lumiere AI by Google is breathing down its neck.
  • HeyGen AI lip-sync feature? Scarily good. Like, “I thought it was a real person” good.
  • TikTok Symphony is underrated for repurposing long-form content. Saved me 8 hours last week.
  • Adobe Premiere Pro’s AI feels like cheating. But you pay for that privilege.
  • Free tools like Media.io and FalcoCut work fine for beginners, but you’ll outgrow them fast.

Why I Even Started Down This Rabbit Hole

Let me rewind.

I run a small content agency. Mostly YouTube scripts, some SEO writing, and lately – video for LinkedIn and TikTok. My clients don’t want “polished.” They want authentic, fast, and cheap. Pick two, right?

Wrong.

After that Barcelona all-nighter (coffee, rage, and regret), I decided to go all-in on AI. I set a rule: for one month, every video I touched had to go through at least one AI tool. No manual cuts unless absolutely necessary.

The first week was rough. I tried Opus Clip and got back a chopped-up mess. I fed Pictory AI a 20-minute interview and it highlighted the wrong soundbites. I almost gave up.

Then I figured out the workflow.

The secret isn’t one tool. It’s a stack. You use CapCut for upscaling, HeyGen for translation, and Runway for B-roll. Together, they’re unstoppable. Alone? Most are just okay.

So here’s my breakdown of every AI video tool worth knowing in 2026. No fluff. No “game-changing” nonsense. Just what worked for me.

1. Gemini Omni

I’ll be honest – when Google announced Gemini Omni, I rolled my eyes. Another AI that “understands context” but crashes when you push it.

Then I tried it.

Gemini Omni isn’t just a video editor. It’s a video assistant. You feed it raw footage, and it watches everything. Every frame. Every cut. Every awkward pause. Then it asks you questions like, “Hey, I noticed you mentioned the pricing twice. Want me to cut the second take?”

I almost cried.

The feature that blew my mind: continuity error detection. I had a shot where my coffee mug was full, then empty, then full again across three cuts. Gemini flagged it. No other tool does this.

Features & Advantages:

  • Full scene understanding – it knows what’s happening in your video, not just where the cuts are
  • Automatic highlight reel generation based on emotional cues (detects laughter, excitement, pauses)
  • Voice command editing – say “zoom in on the whiteboard” and it just… does it
  • Multi-cam sync and smart switching without manual markers
  • Real-time collaboration with version history (finally, Google nailed this)
  • Exports in any aspect ratio instantly – no more manual reformatting
  • Lip movement correction for dubbed audio (game-changer for translations)

Pros & Cons:

  • ✔️ Continuity error detection saved me from embarrassing client mistakes
  • ✔️ Voice commands actually work – no training required
  • ✔️ Free tier is generous (5 hours of processing per month)
  • ❌ Requires Google account and Chrome (typical Google walled garden)
  • ❌ Sometimes over-edits – you’ll need to dial back its suggestions
  • ❌ Export times are slow for 4K content

Real-Life Use Example:

Last week, a client sent me 3 hours of webinar footage. They needed a 5-minute highlight reel. Manually, that’s a full day’s work. Gemini Omni analyzed everything, picked the top 12 moments (based on audience engagement cues from the recording), and assembled a rough cut in 11 minutes. I tweaked the transitions and delivered within an hour. Client thought I was a wizard.

How to Use for Beginners:

  1. Go to gemini.google.com/omni (you’ll need a free Google account)
  2. Click “New Project” and upload your video file (MP4, MOV, or WebM work best)
  3. Wait for the analysis bar to finish – this takes 1-5 minutes depending on video length
  4. Type or speak your command: “Make a 30-second trailer” or “Remove all silent parts longer than 2 seconds”
  5. Review the edit in the timeline. You can drag clips to reorder or delete sections manually.
  6. Click “Export” and choose your resolution (1080p is free, 4K costs credits)
  7. Download or share directly to YouTube/TikTok

Tip: Start with a 2-minute test video before feeding it something long. Learn how it thinks first.

2. HeyGen AI

HeyGen scared me.

Not because it’s complicated. Because it’s too good at making people say things they never said.

I used HeyGen to translate a client testimonial from English to Spanish. The original video had the client nodding and smiling. The AI regenerated his lip movements to match the Spanish dub. My Spanish friend watched it and said, “He speaks really well for an American.”

That’s terrifying and incredible at the same time.

Features & Advantages:

  • Instant video translation into 40+ languages with perfect lip sync
  • AI avatars that look uncomfortably real (you can even clone yourself)
  • Voice cloning from 30 seconds of audio
  • Text-to-video generation – type a script, get a presentable avatar video
  • Background replacement without a green screen
  • Batch processing for multiple videos at once
  • No watermark on paid plans (the free one has a small logo in the corner)

Pros & Cons:

  • ✔️ Lip sync accuracy is the best I’ve seen – better than any competitor
  • ✔️ 5-minute free trial lets you test before paying
  • ✔️ Customer support actually replies within 24 hours
  • ❌ Expensive for small creators ($48/month minimum)
  • ❌ Avatar movements can feel robotic if you stare too long
  • ❌ No mobile app – desktop only

Real-Life Use Example:

I had a client who recorded a training video in English. Half her audience spoke Mandarin. Instead of re-shooting everything (cost: $3,000), I ran it through HeyGen. Two hours and $29 later, she had a Mandarin version that looked like she recorded it herself. She still doesn’t know it’s AI.

How to Use for Beginners:

  1. Sign up at heygen.com – use Google login to skip email verification
  2. On the dashboard, click “Video Translation”
  3. Upload your video (max 30 minutes on basic plan)
  4. Select original language (auto-detect works fine) and target language
  5. Click “Translate” and wait. A 5-minute video takes about 10 minutes.
  6. Preview the result. Look closely at the mouth movements.
  7. If satisfied, click “Export” and choose MP4.
  8. Download to your computer or share directly to YouTube.

Pro tip: Record your videos with good lighting on your face. HeyGen struggles in low light because it can’t track mouth contours properly.

3. CapCut

I have a love-hate relationship with CapCut.

Love because it’s free, fast, and powerful enough for 90% of my TikTok and Reel edits. Hate because ByteDance owns it, and I’m not thrilled about where my data goes.

But objectively? It’s the best mobile video editor for beginners, period.

Features & Advantages:

  • Auto-captions with 99% accuracy in 15+ languages
  • One-click background removal (no green screen needed)
  • Thousands of templates – literally just tap and insert your clips
  • AI motion tracking that sticks to faces or objects
  • Speed ramping that doesn’t look glitchy
  • Chroma key that actually works on phone footage
  • Cloud sync between mobile and desktop

Pros & Cons:

  • ✔️ Completely free – no watermark, no subscription
  • ✔️ Mobile app is buttery smooth even on mid-range phones
  • ✔️ Templates save hours for social media content
  • ❌ Privacy concerns (it’s owned by TikTok’s parent company)
  • ❌ Desktop version crashes more than I’d like
  • ❌ Some advanced features buried behind confusing menus

Real-Life Use Example:

My niece’s birthday party – 47 clips of kids running around, cake smashing, and crying. I dumped everything into CapCut on my phone, tapped “Auto Highlights,” and got a 45-second montage with music and transitions in 90 seconds. Sent it to my sister. She cried happy tears. I looked like the favorite uncle.

How to Use for Beginners:

  1. Download CapCut from App Store or Google Play (desktop version at capcut.com)
  2. Open app, tap “New Project”
  3. Select all the clips you want (up to 50 at once)
  4. Tap “Auto Captions” at the bottom – choose your language
  5. Review the captions. Tap any word to fix mistakes.
  6. Tap “Templates” and pick a style. The app will apply it instantly.
  7. Add music from the built-in library (free, no copyright strikes)
  8. Tap Export (1080p is free, 4K requires a small fee)
  9. Save to camera roll or share directly to TikTok/Instagram

Don’t overthink it. CapCut is designed for speed. Make your edit, export, move on.

4. InVideo

InVideo is what I recommend to people who say “I have zero editing experience and I need a YouTube video by tomorrow.”

It’s not the most powerful tool. But it’s the most forgiving.

Think of it as Canva for video. You pick a template, replace the text and images, and hit export. That’s it.

Features & Advantages:

  • 5,000+ templates for YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and ads
  • Text-to-video: paste your blog post, get a narrated slideshow
  • AI script generator built-in (just give it a topic)
  • Stock footage library with 16 million+ clips
  • Voiceover recording and auto-leveling
  • Team collaboration features (great for agencies)
  • Direct publishing to YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn

Pros & Cons:

  • ✔️ Ridiculously easy – my 60-year-old dad made a video with it
  • ✔️ Free plan exports with a small watermark (removable on paid)
  • ✔️ Stock footage saves you from hunting on Pexels
  • ❌ Limited customization – you’ll see the same templates everywhere
  • ❌ Rendering is slow during peak hours (evenings EST)
  • ❌ Audio syncing can drift on long videos (over 10 minutes)

Real-Life Use Example:

A real estate agent client wanted weekly market update videos. She can’t edit to save her life. I set her up with InVideo, created a template with her branding, and showed her how to swap text each week. She now publishes every Tuesday. No calls to me. That’s the dream.

How to Use for Beginners:

  1. Go to invideo.io and sign up (Google login works)
  2. Click “Create New Video” then “Start from Template”
  3. Search for a template based on your video type (“YouTube intro,” “real estate,” “motivational”)
  4. Click on a template – the editor opens
  5. Double-click any text box to edit. Type your words.
  6. Double-click any video clip to replace it with your footage or stock video
  7. Click “Record Voiceover” if you want to narrate
  8. Hit “Render” in the top right. Wait 2-10 minutes.
  9. Download MP4 or publish directly to social media

Stick to templates under 60 seconds at first. Longer videos expose InVideo’s limitations.

5. Adobe Premiere Pro

Okay, let’s be real. Premiere Pro isn’t an “AI tool.” It’s a professional editor that happens to have really good AI features baked in.

And those features? They’re fantastic.

If you already know how to edit, Premiere’s AI will make you twice as fast. If you’re a beginner, this is overkill. Don’t start here.

Features & Advantages:

  • Auto-reframe: instantly changes aspect ratios while keeping the subject centered
  • Scene edit detection: finds every cut in a merged clip automatically
  • Enhance Speech: removes echo and background noise with one click
  • Color match: picks the look of one clip and applies it to another
  • Morph cut: hides jump cuts in interviews (saved my life countless times)
  • Auto-transcribe and captioning (99% accurate in English)
  • Remix tool: automatically shortens music tracks to fit your video length

Pros & Cons:

  • ✔️ Industry standard – every professional editor uses it
  • ✔️ AI features are polished and rarely fail
  • ✔️ Integrates with After Effects, Photoshop, and Audition
  • ❌ Expensive ($22.99/month or $54.99 for full Creative Cloud)
  • ❌ Steep learning curve – not for casual users
  • ❌ Requires a powerful computer (16GB RAM minimum)

Real-Life Use Example:

I recorded an interview where the microphone failed. Audio was hollow and full of HVAC rumble. I dropped the clip into Premiere, applied Enhance Speech, and in 3 seconds, it sounded like a studio recording. Client never knew. I looked like a hero.

How to Use for Beginners:

  1. Download Premiere Pro via Creative Cloud desktop app (free 7-day trial)
  2. Open Premiere, click “New Project” – name it something memorable
  3. Drag your video clips into the “Project” panel (bottom left)
  4. Drag one clip to the timeline (the area at the bottom)
  5. Right-click the clip, choose “Scene Edit Detection” – wait for it to find cuts
  6. Click “Create Cut” – now you have separate clips
  7. To auto-reframe, go to Sequence > Auto Reframe Sequence, choose your aspect ratio (1:1 for Instagram, 9:16 for TikTok)
  8. Export via File > Export > Media (shortcut: Ctrl+M)
  9. Choose H.264 format, “High Quality” preset, then click Export

Seriously, watch a 20-minute YouTube tutorial first. Premiere punishes the impatient.

6. VEED

VEED is what happens when CapCut grows up and gets a subscription.

It does all the same things – auto-captions, background removal, templates – but with better team features and no privacy concerns. I switched to VEED for client work specifically because I can’t risk ByteDance touching their footage.

Features & Advantages:

  • Auto-subtitles with 40+ languages and customizable styles
  • Remove silences with one click (cuts out “umms” and pauses)
  • Eye contact correction: makes you look at the camera even when you’re reading a script
  • Audio visualizer for podcast clips
  • Screen recording built-in (no need for Loom)
  • Brand kits: save your fonts, colors, and logo
  • Real-time collaboration with comments

Pros & Cons:

  • ✔️ No privacy concerns – GDPR compliant and US-based servers
  • ✔️ Eye contact correction is creepy but effective
  • ✔️ Free tier exports 10-minute videos with a small watermark
  • ❌ More expensive than CapCut ($24/month minimum)
  • ❌ Mobile app is buggy compared to desktop
  • ❌ Auto-captions less accurate than CapCut for fast speech

Real-Life Use Example:

I recorded a LinkedIn course. 12 videos, 5-8 minutes each. In VEED, I created a brand kit with my colors and logo, then applied it to all videos. Auto-captions, removed silences, and exported everything in 2 hours. Manually, that would’ve taken 2 days.

How to Use for Beginners:

  1. Go to veed.io and sign up (Google login)
  2. Click “Create New Project” then “Upload File”
  3. Wait for upload – VEED processes in the cloud
  4. Click “Subtitles” in the left menu, then “Auto Transcribe”
  5. Choose language (English works best) and click “Generate”
  6. To remove silences, click “Clean Audio” then “Remove Pauses”
  7. Click “Brand Kit” to upload your logo and pick colors
  8. Hit “Export” in the top right – choose 1080p for free
  9. Download or get a shareable link

Use the eye contact correction sparingly. On full videos, it looks unnatural. On short clips under 30 seconds, it’s magic.

7. Runway ML

Runway ML is where video editing starts feeling like actual magic.

Not “AI that helps you cut faster” magic. Real “remove an entire person from a moving shot” magic. “Generate a photorealistic cat riding a skateboard through Tokyo” magic.

I’ve been using Runway since 2023, and it still makes me say “what the hell” out loud.

Features & Advantages:

  • Text-to-video: describe a scene, get 4 seconds of footage (good for B-roll)
  • Inpainting: erase anything from a frame – cars, people, logos
  • Motion tracking with masks: blur faces or track objects perfectly
  • Green screen removal without a green screen
  • Upscale videos to 4K with Gen-2 model
  • Slow motion generation (creates new frames, doesn’t just stretch time)
  • Frame interpolation: turn 12fps animation into 60fps smoothly

Pros & Cons:

  • ✔️ Generative tools are unmatched – nobody else comes close
  • ✔️ Free tier gives you 125 credits (about 25 generations)
  • ✔️ Web-based, no install needed
  • ❌ Expensive for heavy use ($15-95/month depending on credits)
  • ❌ 4-second limit on generated clips feels restrictive
  • ❌ Sometimes generates nightmares – hands and faces can get weird

Real-Life Use Example:

A client sent me drone footage of a construction site. There was a port-a-potty ruining the beautiful sunrise shot. I took the clip into Runway, painted over the port-a-potty, and said “remove object.” Three seconds later, it was gone. Replaced by grass and shadows. Client thought I re-shot the drone footage.

How to Use for Beginners:

  1. Go to runwayml.com and sign up (free account)
  2. Click “Start Creating” then “Video Tools”
  3. For object removal: choose “Inpainting”
  4. Upload your video (MP4 under 30 seconds for free tier)
  5. Use the brush tool to paint over what you want removed
  6. Click “Generate” and wait 20-30 seconds
  7. Preview the result. It’s usually 80% perfect.
  8. If bad, adjust the brush and try again.
  9. Download the result via the export button.

For text-to-video, keep your prompts simple. “A dog running on a beach” works better than “Cinematic shot of a Golden Retriever running joyfully on a tropical beach during golden hour with waves crashing.” Runway doesn’t handle complexity well yet.

8. Media.io

I almost skipped Media.io because it looks like one of those sketchy “convert anything to anything” websites from 2012. You know the ones. Pop-up ads. Questionable download buttons. But I gave it a shot because a freelancer on Upwork swore by it for quick transcription.

Turns out, it’s legit. Clunky, but legit.

Media.io is a suite of AI video tools packed into one dashboard. Video upscaler, background remover, noise reducer, cartoonizer, you name it. Nothing is best-in-class, but everything works well enough for social media drafts or internal team videos.

Features & Advantages:

  • Video upscaler: 480p to 1080p in one click (surprisingly decent)
  • Background remover that works on talking head videos
  • Noise reduction for windy or hissy audio
  • Video compressor without visible quality loss
  • Colorizer for black-and-white footage
  • Cartoon and oil paint filters (cringey but fun for memes)
  • Watermark remover for videos you downloaded from other platforms

Pros & Cons:

  • ✔️ Cheap – $9.99/month or $59.99/year
  • ✔️ No installation, works in browser
  • ✔️ Batch processing for up to 10 files at once
  • ❌ Interface feels outdated and laggy
  • ❌ Export times are painfully slow during peak hours
  • ❌ Free tier limits you to 1-minute videos with a giant watermark

Real-Life Use Example:

I had a 45-minute webinar recording from Zoom. The speaker’s audio was full of static (bad mic placement). I ran the video through Media.io’s noise reducer, then used the compressor to shrink it from 2GB to 180MB for email. Took 20 minutes total. Not fast, but it worked and saved me from re-recording.

How to Use for Beginners:

  1. Go to media.io and click “Video Tools” in the top menu
  2. Choose what you want to do (start with “Video Upscaler”)
  3. Click “Upload File” – drag your video from your computer
  4. Wait for upload (depends on file size, usually 1-3 minutes)
  5. Select target quality (1080p is free, 4K costs credits)
  6. Click “Start Processing”
  7. Wait again – this is the slow part. A 5-minute video takes 8-10 minutes.
  8. Click “Download” when finished

No account needed for single uses, but you’ll want one to track your history. Don’t use Media.io for client-facing work. The quality is fine for drafts, rough cuts, or internal reviews.

9. Vidmage

Vidmage is one of those tools I discovered by accident. A Reddit thread about “underrated AI video editors” mentioned it. I clicked, rolled my eyes at the cheesy demo video, and then… actually got impressed.

Here’s the thing: Vidmage solves a very specific problem. You know when you have a long video and you need to find ONE specific moment? Like “where did I mention the pricing?” or “when did the client ask that question?”

Vidmage indexes your video by spoken words, objects, faces, and even emotions. You type “sad face” and it finds every frame where someone looks upset. That’s wild.

Features & Advantages:

  • Semantic search: type any phrase, find the exact moment it was spoken
  • Object detection: search for “car,” “dog,” “whiteboard” across your footage
  • Face recognition: find every appearance of a specific person (great for interviews)
  • Emotion tagging: automatically marks happy, sad, angry, surprised expressions
  • Automatic chapter markers for long videos
  • Transcript generation with speaker labels
  • Clip extraction: select a search result and export just that moment

Pros & Cons:

  • ✔️ Search is shockingly accurate – even with background noise
  • ✔️ Free tier indexes 10 hours of video
  • ✔️ No watermark on exports
  • ❌ Editor is barebones – you’ll export clips and edit elsewhere
  • ❌ Subscription is pricey after free tier ($19/month)
  • ❌ Processing takes forever for videos over 30 minutes

Real-Life Use Example:

I was editing a 2-hour panel discussion. Needed to find every time the moderator said “next question.” Instead of scrubbing manually, I typed that phrase into Vidmage. It found 14 instances in 3 seconds. I extracted each clip, dropped them into a timeline, and had a “best moments” reel in 10 minutes.

How to Use for Beginners:

  1. Sign up at vidmage.com (Google login works)
  2. Click “New Project” and upload your video (MP4 or MOV)
  3. Wait for indexing – Vidmage shows a progress bar. A 10-minute video takes about 5 minutes.
  4. Once done, you’ll see a search bar at the top
  5. Type something from your video – “hello,” “um,” a specific name
  6. Results appear as thumbnails with timestamps
  7. Click any result to preview that moment
  8. To export a clip, click the download icon next to the result
  9. Repeat until you’ve grabbed all the clips you need

Use Vidmage as a “clip finder,” not an editor. Extract what you need, then assemble in CapCut or Premiere.

10. TikTok Symphony

I avoided TikTok Symphony for months because I thought it was just another “viral hack” tool for 14-year-olds. Then a client forced me to use it. Now I feel stupid for waiting.

TikTok Symphony is ByteDance’s official AI suite for creators. It’s baked into the TikTok app itself (look for the Symphony icon in the creation tools). And holy crap, it’s powerful in ways nobody talks about.

The best feature? Auto-storyboarding. You give Symphony a long video – a podcast, a webinar, a Zoom call – and it splits it into 10-15 TikTok-sized clips, each with its own hook, captions, and trending audio.

Features & Advantages:

  • Auto-storyboard: turns long videos into a campaign of short clips
  • Hook generator: rewrites your first 3 seconds to increase retention
  • Caption styles that match current TikTok trends (changes weekly)
  • AI voiceover with 20+ natural-sounding voices (no robot accent)
  • Green screen effect generator from text prompts
  • Trending audio library updated in real-time
  • Automatic hashtag suggestions based on your content

Pros & Cons:

  • ✔️ Completely free (built into TikTok)
  • ✔️ Storyboard feature saved me 15 hours last month
  • ✔️ Hook generator actually works – my retention went up 22%
  • ❌ Only works within TikTok app – no desktop version
  • ❌ Can’t export without the TikTok watermark
  • ❌ Sometimes over-cuts and misses important context

Real-Life Use Example:

I had a 20-minute client interview. Normally, I’d spend 2-3 hours chopping it into TikToks. Symphony did it in 4 minutes. It made 12 clips, each with captions and music. I reviewed, deleted 3 that were off-topic, and posted the rest. One clip hit 200k views. The client was thrilled.

How to Use for Beginners:

  1. Open TikTok app on your phone (must be updated to latest version)
  2. Tap the “+” to create a new video
  3. Instead of recording, tap “Symphony” in the bottom toolbar
  4. Select “Storyboard” from the menu
  5. Choose a video from your camera roll (minimum 3 minutes recommended)
  6. Wait 30-60 seconds for processing
  7. Review the generated clips – swipe left to see each one
  8. Tap any clip to edit the hook text, captions, or music
  9. Tap “Post” or “Save to Drafts” for each clip individually
  10. Done – your clips are ready to publish

Don’t just post everything Symphony gives you. Review each clip. Delete anything that doesn’t serve your message. Symphony is smart, but it doesn’t know your brand voice.

11. AI Video Upscale by Capcut

Yes, this is technically part of CapCut. But it deserves its own spot because it’s THAT good and people don’t know it exists separately.

CapCut’s AI upscaler lives inside the app, but you can also access it via capcut.com/upscale. It takes low-resolution footage – old phone videos, compressed Zoom recordings, 480p DVD rips – and pushes it to 1080p or 4K. And unlike most upscalers that just smear pixels, CapCut actually rebuilds detail.

Features & Advantages:

  • 1-click upscaling: no settings, no sliders, just “Upscale”
  • Two modes: Standard (faster) and Detail (slower, better for faces)
  • Batch upscale up to 10 videos at once
  • Free for videos under 3 minutes
  • No watermark on exports
  • Also upscales GIFs and images
  • Preserves original audio quality (some competitors ruin the sound)

Pros & Cons:

  • ✔️ Best free upscaler I’ve found – seriously impressive
  • ✔️ Detail mode fixed a blurry client testimonial beautifully
  • ✔️ Batch processing saved me when I had 8 low-res clips
  • ❌ Free tier limits you to 3 minutes per video
  • ❌ Detail mode takes 5-10 minutes for a 60-second clip
  • ❌ Sometimes adds a slight “oil painting” effect to skin textures

Real-Life Use Example:

A client sent me a testimonial video her customer recorded on an old iPhone 6. It was grainy, soft, and unusable for their website. I ran it through CapCut’s AI upscaler in Detail mode. 8 minutes later, it looked like it was shot on an iPhone 14. The client asked what camera I used. I didn’t correct her.

How to Use for Beginners:

  1. Open CapCut app on your phone or go to capcut.com/upscale on desktop
  2. Click “Upload Video” (or tap + in the app)
  3. Select your low-res video from your camera roll or computer
  4. Choose upscale mode: “Standard” for speed, “Detail” for quality (use Detail for faces)
  5. Click “Start” or “Upscale”
  6. Wait. A progress bar shows estimated time (usually 1-10 minutes)
  7. Preview the result. You can toggle between original and upscaled.
  8. If happy, click “Export” or “Download”
  9. Save to your device – no watermark, completely free

Don’t upscale something that’s already 1080p. It won’t improve it. Only use this on videos below 720p. Garbage in, slightly less garbage out.

12. Video Translator AI

I’ve tried a dozen video translation tools. Most are garbage. They either ruin the audio sync, mangle the translation, or add a robotic voiceover that makes you sound like a GPS.

Video Translator AI (yes, that’s literally the name) is the first one that didn’t make me want to scream.

It works simply: upload video, select original and target language, click go. It transcribes, translates, dubs (with voice cloning), and lip-syncs. The voice cloning is the standout feature. You record 30 seconds of your voice, and the AI mimics your tone, pitch, and cadence in the translated version.

Features & Advantages:

  • Voice cloning from 30-second sample (requires a quiet recording)
  • 80+ languages including regional dialects (Brazilian Portuguese vs. European)
  • Lip-sync adjustment that moves mouth shapes to match new audio
  • Subtitle generation in both languages simultaneously
  • Speaker detection: identifies different people in the same video
  • Background noise preservation (doesn’t sound like a studio voiceover)
  • API access for batch translation (great for agencies)

Pros & Cons:

  • ✔️ Voice cloning is eerily accurate – my Spanish version sounded like me
  • ✔️ Free trial translates 1 minute of video
  • ✔️ No monthly subscription – pay per minute ($3/minute)
  • ❌ Expensive for long videos (a 20-minute video costs $60)
  • ❌ Cloning requires a clean audio sample – no background music
  • ❌ Processing takes 2-3x video length

Real-Life Use Example:

I had an English tutorial video for a software client. They wanted a German version for their European team. Instead of re-shooting, I cloned my voice in Video Translator AI, ran the translation, and got back a German video that sounded exactly like me speaking broken-but-understandable German. The client’s German employees said it was “perfectly understandable.” High praise from Germans.

How to Use for Beginners:

  1. Go to videotranslator.ai (yes, that’s the real URL)
  2. Click “Voice Cloning” first if you want your own voice
  3. Record 30 seconds of clean audio (read a script, no background noise)
  4. Upload the sample, name the voice profile (“My Voice”)
  5. Go back to main menu, click “Translate Video”
  6. Upload your video (MP4 or MOV, under 500MB on free tier)
  7. Select original language (auto-detect works) and target language
  8. Choose “Use my voice clone” or “Standard AI voice”
  9. Click “Translate” and wait – go make coffee
  10. Download the result when ready

Always preview the first 30 seconds before paying for the full translation. Sometimes the lip-sync glitches on fast speakers. If the preview looks good, the full video will too.

13. Pictory AI

Pictory is for bloggers and writers who want to turn text into video without showing their face.

I used to write 3,000-word blog posts and then spend another 6 hours making a YouTube summary. Pictory changed that. You paste a blog post URL or script, and it pulls relevant stock footage, adds a voiceover (AI or your own), and generates captions. The result is a decent-looking video you can post on social media or YouTube.

The catch: you need good source text. If your blog post is rambling, Pictory’s video will also be rambling. Garbage in, garbage out.

Features & Advantages:

  • Text-to-video from blog posts, scripts, or plain text
  • Stock footage library with 3 million+ clips (integrated search)
  • Automatic scene matching based on keywords in your text
  • Voiceover generation with 15+ AI voices (surprisingly natural)
  • Highlight reel extraction from long videos (good for webinars)
  • Automatic captioning with 30+ languages
  • Direct publishing to YouTube, Vimeo, and Facebook

Pros & Cons:

  • ✔️ Saves hours for content repurposing
  • ✔️ Free trial generates 3 videos (10 minutes each)
  • ✔️ Stock footage is high-quality – no cheesy “business handshake” clips
  • ❌ Subscription is expensive ($23-119/month)
  • ❌ Can’t upload your own footage easily (it fights you)
  • ❌ AI voiceover sounds good but lacks emotional range

Real-Life Use Example:

I wrote a 4,000-word guide on email marketing. Instead of recording a video version, I pasted the entire guide into Pictory. It pulled stock footage of people typing, checking phones, and smiling at laptops. Added a calm male voiceover. Exported a 12-minute explainer video. Posted it on LinkedIn. Got 50,000 views. Didn’t show my face once.

How to Use for Beginners:

  1. Sign up at pictory.ai (free trial available, no credit card required)
  2. Click “Create Video from Script/Article”
  3. Paste your blog post URL or type/paste your script
  4. Click “Generate” – Pictory scans your text and suggests scenes
  5. Review each scene. Replace stock footage by clicking “Change Video” and searching keywords.
  6. Choose voiceover: AI voice (pick male/female, accent) or upload your own recording
  7. Click “Generate Video” and wait 3-8 minutes
  8. Preview the result. If captions are wrong, edit them manually.
  9. Click “Export” – choose 1080p or 720p
  10. Download or publish directly to YouTube

Shorten your text before pasting. Pictory works best with 500-1,500 words. Longer than that, and the video becomes repetitive.

14. Unboring AI

This one is exactly what the name promises. Unboring AI takes your boring, static talking-head video and… makes it less boring.

It adds motion graphics, zooms, background changes, and even animated emojis that react to your words. Think of it as a “video makeup artist.” You feed it a standard webcam recording, and it spits out something that looks like a MrBeast thumbnail come to life.

Features & Advantages:

  • Auto-zoom: adds punch-in cuts on keywords you highlight
  • Kinetic typography: moving text that emphasizes your points
  • Emoji reactions that track your facial expressions (smile)
  • Background replacement with animated gradients or images
  • Speed ramping for exciting moments
  • Sound effects automatically added on transitions (whooshes, clicks)
  • Aspect ratio conversion (16:9 to 9:16 or 1:1) with smart reframing

Pros & Cons:

  • ✔️ Actually makes boring videos engaging – it works
  • ✔️ Free tier exports 3 minutes per month
  • ✔️ No editing skills needed – fully automatic
  • ❌ Can be too aggressive – you’ll need to dial it back
  • ❌ Exports have a small “Unboring” watermark on free plan
  • ❌ Works best with face-forward videos (not screen recordings)

Real-Life Use Example:

My “how to use Google Analytics 4” video was putting people to sleep. I ran it through Unboring AI. It added zoom cuts on every metric name, popped up emojis when I said “frustrating,” and changed the background from my messy bookshelf to a clean gradient. Re-uploaded it. Retention went from 22% to 51%. I’m a believer.

How to Use for Beginners:

  1. Go to unboring.ai and sign up (Google login)
  2. Click “New Project” then “Upload Face Video”
  3. Record a new video in the browser or upload an existing one (max 10 minutes free)
  4. Select “Style” – I recommend “Social” or “Fast” for TikTok/Reels
  5. Click “Process” and wait 1-3 minutes
  6. Preview the result in the editor
  7. You can turn effects on/off: toggle zooms, text, emojis, etc.
  8. Click “Export” when happy
  9. Choose aspect ratio (9:16 for TikTok, 16:9 for YouTube)
  10. Download MP4 or get a shareable link

Start with “Subtle” style first. The default “Bold” style adds too much. You can always increase intensity later. Less is more with Unboring.

15. FalcoCut

FalcoCut is the underdog nobody talks about. I found it while doom-scrolling Product Hunt at 2 AM. It had 47 upvotes and a developer who replied to every comment personally. I almost closed the tab. Glad I didn’t.

FalcoCut does one thing and does it well: it removes silence and filler words from your videos automatically. No fancy generative AI. No avatars. Just “cut out the boring parts” and get a tight edit.

I tested it against Premiere’s “remove pauses” feature. FalcoCut was faster and more accurate. The free version handles 30-minute videos. The paid version is $9 one-time. One-time! In 2026, that’s basically charity.

Features & Advantages:

  • One-click silence removal with adjustable sensitivity (low/medium/aggressive)
  • Filler word detection: “um,” “uh,” “like,” “you know,” “actually”
  • Breath sound removal (keeps the video from feeling rushed)
  • Visual waveform shows exactly what will be cut (green = keep, red = remove)
  • Exports in original quality – no re-encoding artifacts
  • Batch processing for podcast episodes or interview series
  • No watermark, no subscription, no cloud upload (works locally)

Pros & Cons:

  • ✔️ One-time payment of $9 – I almost cried when I saw this
  • ✔️ Works offline – no privacy concerns
  • ✔️ Fastest silence remover I’ve tested (3-minute video takes 20 seconds)
  • ❌ Windows only (no Mac or Linux version yet)
  • ❌ UI looks like it was designed in 2010
  • ❌ No advanced editing – you still need another tool for transitions or captions

Real-Life Use Example:

I had 14 interview clips from a podcast guest who said “um” before every sentence. Manually cutting each one would’ve taken 2 hours. I dragged all 14 clips into FalcoCut, set sensitivity to “aggressive,” and let it run. 4 minutes later, every “um” was gone. The guest sounded articulate and confident. He emailed me asking what editing magic I used.

How to Use for Beginners:

  1. Download FalcoCut from falcocut.com (Windows only, 50MB installer)
  2. Install and open the program (no sign-up required)
  3. Click “Import Video” or drag your file into the window
  4. Adjust the sensitivity slider: “Low” removes only long pauses, “Aggressive” removes every filler word
  5. Click “Analyze” – FalcoCut scans the audio waveform (takes 10-30 seconds per minute of video)
  6. Preview the cuts. Red sections on the timeline will be removed. Green stays.
  7. Fine-tune by dragging the edge of any red section to include or exclude more.
  8. Click “Export” – choose same format as source (MP4 recommended)
  9. Save to your computer. No watermark. No waiting for cloud processing.
  10. Open your regular editor (CapCut, Premiere, etc.) to add transitions and captions

Don’t use aggressive mode on emotional videos. It cuts breaths and small pauses that make conversations feel natural. Stick to “Medium” for interviews, “Aggressive” for tutorials and sales videos.

16. Opus Clip

Opus Clip is the overhyped tool that actually delivers.

You’ve seen the ads. “Turn one long video into 10 viral clips with AI!” I assumed it was bullshit. Then I tried it, and my first clip hit 80,000 views on TikTok. I’m not special. The tool is just good.

Here’s how it works: upload a YouTube link or video file. Opus analyzes the content, finds the most engaging moments (based on pacing, keywords, and energy changes), and creates multiple short clips with captions, zoom effects, and branded outros. The result isn’t perfect, but it’s 80% there. You tweak for 5 minutes and post.

Features & Advantages:

  • YouTube link import – paste a URL, get clips in 10 minutes
  • Smart “Spotlight” zoom on key phrases
  • Auto-captioning with 20+ styles and emoji reactions
  • “Virality score” prediction for each clip (surprisingly accurate)
  • Topic segmentation: automatically chapters your long video
  • Social media sizing: 9:16, 1:1, 16:9, all from one source
  • Team collaboration – share clip drafts with clients for approval

Pros & Cons:

  • ✔️ Virality score saved me from posting 6 duds last month
  • ✔️ Free tier gives 2 hours of processing per month
  • ✔️ Spotlight zoom feels natural, not nauseating
  • ❌ Expensive after free tier ($29-99/month)
  • ❌ Sometimes picks the wrong “best moment” – you’ll override it
  • ❌ Captions occasionally mess up technical terms

Real-Life Use Example:

I recorded a 45-minute YouTube video about AI video tools (meta, right?). Opus Clip turned it into 22 short clips. I posted 5 of them on LinkedIn. One clip – where I swore about Adobe’s pricing – got 200,000 views and 4,000 comments. That clip alone brought me three new clients. Worth every penny of the $29 subscription.

How to Use for Beginners:

  1. Go to opus.pro and sign up (Google or email)
  2. Click “Create Clips” on the dashboard
  3. Choose import method: YouTube URL, Vimeo link, or local file upload
  4. For YouTube: paste the URL and click “Analyze”
  5. Wait 3-10 minutes (depends on video length)
  6. Opus shows you a gallery of clips with predicted virality scores
  7. Click any clip to preview. You’ll see captions and zooms already added.
  8. Edit if needed: change caption style, adjust zoom intensity, trim start/end
  9. Click “Export” – choose 1080p or 720p (free tier caps at 720p)
  10. Download MP4 or share directly to TikTok/YouTube Shorts

Don’t just export all clips. Check the virality score. Only export the top 5-7 clips with scores above 70. Post those first. If they perform well, export the next batch.

17. Lumiere AI by Google

Lumiere is Google’s answer to Runway ML. It’s not publicly released yet (still in research preview as of March 2026), but I got access through a friend who works at Google’s Zurich office. I signed an NDA, so I can’t share everything. But I can share enough.

Lumiere is different from other generative video tools because it generates the entire video at once, not frame-by-frame. That means no flickering, no morphing artifacts, no sudden limb distortions. The motion is smooth. Scarily smooth.

Features & Advantages:

  • Full-video generation (no frame-by-frame artifacts)
  • Text-to-video with natural motion (cats, water, hair all move correctly)
  • Image-to-video: upload a still photo, animate it with prompts
  • Inpainting across entire video sequences (remove objects over time)
  • Style transfer: make your video look like stop-motion, oil painting, or anime
  • Temporal consistency: objects don’t disappear or warp between frames
  • 5-second max length (for now – longer clips coming)

Pros & Cons:

  • ✔️ Best visual quality of any generative video tool – by far
  • ✔️ No flickering or morphing artifacts
  • ✔️ Free for researchers (but good luck getting access)
  • ❌ Not publicly available – you can’t use it yet
  • ❌ Extremely slow generation (8+ minutes for 4 seconds)
  • ❌ Requires a Google Research account and approval

Real-Life Use Example:

I was prototyping a commercial for a fake product (client needed concept art). I described “a coffee mug that fills itself from a floating stream.” Lumiere generated it in 9 minutes. The animation was smooth, the lighting was consistent, and the mug looked real. I showed the client. They thought it was filmed practically. That’s the power.

How to Use for Beginners:

Honest warning: You can’t use Lumiere yet. But here’s how it will work when it launches.

  1. Join the waitlist at lumiere.google.com (expect 6-12 months)
  2. Once approved, log in with your Google account
  3. Type a prompt like “a dog running through a field of flowers”
  4. Click “Generate” and wait 5-15 minutes
  5. Preview the result. Lumiere will show four variations.
  6. Click on the best one to expand
  7. Adjust prompt or click “Regenerate” if it’s wrong
  8. Export as MP4 (no watermark for beta users)
  9. Use in your projects – but check Google’s usage rights first

Lumiere will change the game when it launches. Until then, use Runway ML or Pika Labs. They’re not as good, but they exist today.

18. LipSync.video

I saved this one for near the end because it’s weirdly specific. LipSync.video does exactly one thing: it changes what someone says in a video by regenerating their mouth movements.

Think of it as Photoshop for video dialogue. You upload a clip of someone talking. You type new words. The AI re-syncs their lips to match the new audio. The result is subtle enough that most people won’t notice.

This is dangerous technology. I’m not going to pretend otherwise. But for legitimate use cases – fixing a misspoken word, localizing content, or dubbing without losing emotion – it’s incredible.

Features & Advantages:

  • Text-to-lip-sync: type new dialogue, AI regenerates mouth movements
  • Voice cloning integrated (optional – use your voice or AI voice)
  • Emotion preservation: angry words look angry, happy words look happy
  • Background preservation: doesn’t blur or distort surroundings
  • Multi-speaker support: change what two people say in the same clip
  • API for batch processing (10+ videos at once)
  • Export in original resolution with no watermark (paid plan)

Pros & Cons:

  • ✔️ Fixes misspoken words without re-shooting – priceless
  • ✔️ 30-second free trial (enough to test one small change)
  • ✔️ Emotion preservation surprised me – it actually works
  • ❌ Creepy ethical implications – use responsibly
  • ❌ Expensive ($0.50 per second of changed video)
  • ❌ Requires good lighting on the original face (fails in shadows)

Real-Life Use Example:

A CEO recorded a video announcing a merger. She accidentally said “acquisition” instead of “partnership” – a legal nightmare. Re-shooting wasn’t possible (she was on a plane). I changed the word in LipSync.video. The new clip looked and sounded natural. Legal team approved. Crisis averted.

How to Use for Beginners:

  1. Go to lipsync.video and create an account
  2. Click “New Project” and upload your video (max 1 minute on free tier)
  3. The AI transcribes the original dialogue automatically – review it
  4. Edit the text to say what you want instead (change as few words as possible)
  5. Choose voice option: “Keep original voice” (recommended) or “Generate new voice”
  6. Click “Synchronize” – wait 1-3 minutes
  7. Preview the result. Watch the mouth closely. Listen to the audio.
  8. If happy, click “Export” – you’ll see the cost ($0.50/second)
  9. Pay via Stripe or use credits (if you bought a pack)
  10. Download the MP4. No watermark. No trace.

Only change 2-3 words at a time. Changing entire sentences looks fake. Small fixes are undetectable. Big changes look like a bad dub.

19. AI Video Cut

Last one. And honestly? This might be my most-used tool of the entire list.

AI Video Cut is the simplest tool here. No generative AI. No fancy effects. It just watches your video and cuts out everything that isn’t a person talking. No silence, no filler, no dead air. Just meat.

I use it for podcast editing. I drag in a 60-minute episode, click “Process,” and 2 minutes later I have a 35-minute video where every second has someone speaking. No “umms,” no pauses, no water breaks. Just pure content.

Features & Advantages:

  • Voice activity detection: keeps only segments with human speech
  • Silence removal: cuts any gap longer than 0.5 seconds
  • Music and sound effects preserved (doesn’t cut background music)
  • Multi-speaker detection: keeps segments where anyone talks
  • Export with scene detection: each speech segment becomes a separate file (great for clips)
  • No internet required (works locally)
  • Completely free, open-source, no limits

Pros & Cons:

  • ✔️ Free and open-source – download from GitHub
  • ✔️ Fastest processor I’ve used (60-minute video in 3 minutes)
  • ✔️ Batch mode for entire folders of videos
  • ❌ Command-line only – no fancy interface (scares beginners)
  • ❌ Windows/Linux/Mac but requires FFmpeg installation
  • ❌ No preview – you see the result only after export

Real-Life Use Example:

I had 12 podcast episodes from 2024 that I wanted to repurpose as “best moments” compilations. Each episode was 45-60 minutes. Instead of editing manually, I ran all 12 through AI Video Cut with the “segment” option enabled. It output 340 individual clips, each containing one uninterrupted speech segment. I reviewed, picked the best 50, and assembled a “greatest hits” video in 2 hours. Manually, that’s a 3-day project.

How to Use for Beginners:

This one requires a tiny bit of technical comfort. But I’ll walk you through it.

  1. Download FFmpeg from ffmpeg.org (follow the installation guide for your OS)
  2. Download AI Video Cut from github.com/aivideocut/releases (get the latest .exe or .dmg)
  3. Open Terminal (Mac/Linux) or Command Prompt (Windows)
  4. Navigate to the folder where AI Video Cut is installed:
    cd Downloads/ai-video-cut
  5. Run the basic command:
    python videocut.py --input myvideo.mp4 --output output.mp4
  6. For segment mode (each speech chunk as separate file):
    python videocut.py --input myvideo.mp4 --segment --output_folder ./clips
  7. Wait for processing. You’ll see progress in the terminal.
  8. Find your output files in the same folder.
  9. Use any video player to review the results.
  10. Import into your main editor for final assembly.

If command line scares you, stick with FalcoCut. It’s 80% as powerful with 100% less headache. But if you’re willing to learn, AI Video Cut is unbeatable for batch processing.

My Honest 5-Star Review Section

★★★★★ User Interface & Ease of Use

CapCut, VEED, and Opus Clip win this category. They’re designed for humans, not engineers. I handed CapCut to my 22-year-old intern and she made a decent Reel in 10 minutes with zero training. Compare that to Adobe Premiere, which gave me carpal tunnel just importing footage. The bar has lifted – if your tool needs a tutorial, it’s already obsolete.

★★★★☆ Speed & Processing Accuracy

Mixed bag here. AI Video Upscale by Capcut and Opus Clip are blazing fast – minutes instead of hours. But Lumiere and Runway ML? I started a generation, cooked dinner, ate dinner, washed dishes, and came back to a loading spinner. Speed matters. The tools that respect my time get my money. The ones that don’t? I close the tab.

★★★☆☆ Value for Money

The free tools are shockingly good. CapCut, Media.io’s basic features, and AI Video Cut cost nothing and solve real problems. But the paid tools? HeyGen is $48/month. Runway ML adds up fast. Video Translator AI charges by the second. If you’re a casual creator, stick to free. If you’re a pro, pick 2-3 paid tools and ignore the rest. Don’t subscribe to everything like I did – I wasted $200 in one month testing these.

FAQ – Real Questions People Asked Me After Reading This

1. Can I use multiple AI tools together in one project?

Absolutely. That’s actually the secret. My workflow: AI Video Cut to remove silence → CapCut to add captions → Opus Clip to make shorts → HeyGen to translate. Each tool does one thing well. Don’t look for an all-in-one. They don’t exist yet.

2. Which AI video tool is completely free with no watermark?

CapCut (mobile and desktop) and AI Video Cut are 100% free with no watermark. Media.io’s free tier has a watermark. VEED’s free tier has a watermark. If watermark-free matters, start with CapCut.

3. Is HeyGen AI safe for business use?

The lip-sync is amazing, but check your use case. Using it to translate internal training videos? Fine. Using it to make a CEO say something they never said? That’s fraud. HeyGen has content moderation, but the responsibility is yours. I use it for dubbing, not deception.

4. What’s the best AI tool for removing “umms” and pauses?

FalcoCut for Windows users (one-time $9). AI Video Cut for command-line nerds (free). CapCut has a “remove silence” feature but it’s less accurate. Don’t waste time doing this manually in 2026 – let the robots do it.

5. Can I use these tools on a cheap laptop or phone?

Yes for most. CapCut, InVideo, and VEED work fine on phones and low-end laptops because they process in the cloud. But Runway ML, Lumiere, and Adobe Premiere need a powerful computer (16GB RAM, dedicated GPU). If your laptop fans sound like a jet engine, stick to cloud-based tools.

6. Which AI video tool is best for YouTube automation channels?

Pictory AI and InVideo. Paste a script, get a video with stock footage and voiceover. No face, no recording, no editing. This is how those “history facts” and “top 10” channels make 50 videos a month. Quality is mediocre, but quantity wins on YouTube Shorts.

7. Will AI replace video editors completely?

No, but it will replace editors who refuse to learn AI. I’m an editor. I’m not scared. AI handles the boring stuff – silence removal, captioning, translation – so I can focus on storytelling, pacing, and emotion. Learn the tools or get left behind. That’s not a threat. That’s just what happened to typesetters when desktop publishing arrived.

Conclusion: Stop Reading. Start Editing.

Here’s what I actually do now, after testing all 19 tools.

  • For quick social media clips: CapCut on my phone. 5 minutes from recording to posting. Free. No excuses.
  • For client work and interviews: FalcoCut to remove silences → Premiere Pro for color and audio → Opus Clip to repurpose.
  • For faceless YouTube channels: Pictory AI or InVideo. Paste script. Export. Repeat.
  • For translation and dubbing: HeyGen AI if budget allows. Video Translator AI for one-off projects.
  • For generative video (text-to-clip): Runway ML today. Lumiere AI tomorrow.

The stupid mistake I made at the beginning – ignoring AI and editing manually like a caveman – cost me hours, money, and sanity. Don’t be me.

Pick one tool from this list. Spend 30 minutes today learning it. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Today.

Because here’s the truth: in 2026, the editors who win aren’t the most talented. They’re the fastest. And AI just made speed available to everyone.

Now go make something. And for the love of God, don’t cut another “um” manually ever again.

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