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Which AI should I use to edit Reels and short videos?

The big chat AIs can't drag clips on a timeline, but Gemini can watch your footage and tell you where to cut, and Claude Code can do the cuts for you on your computer. Here's which AI to use for each part, plus apps if you'd rather edit by hand.

Which AI does this best

  1. Claude Code
    AI agentPaid
    #1

    The only one here that actually edits the file. It runs free tools like ffmpeg on your computer to trim, join clips, convert to 9:16 and burn in captions. No visual preview while it works, and you need a paid Claude plan.

    ✦ Try this prompt
    In this folder there's a video called [file name]. Make an Instagram Reel from it: cut it to under [30] seconds keeping the parts between [00:12-00:25] and [01:40-01:52], crop to vertical 1080x1920, add burned-in captions in [language] (install a free transcription tool if you need one), boost the audio a little, and export as reel.mp4. Use free tools only and tell me each command before you run it.
    Open Claude Code ↗
  2. Gemini
    AI assistantFree plan
    #2

    Upload your raw clip (or paste a YouTube link) and it actually watches it, then gives you exact timestamps to cut, a hook and caption text. Free. It can't export a video, so you still do the cuts in CapCut or your phone.

    ✦ Try this prompt
    I've uploaded my raw video for an Instagram Reel about [topic]. Watch it and give me: 1) the best [30]-second cut as a list of timestamps to keep, in order; 2) the strongest first 3 seconds to use as the hook; 3) on-screen text for each segment, max 6 words; 4) a caption under 150 words with one question for comments. My audience: [who].
    Open Gemini ↗
  3. ChatGPT
    AI assistantFree plan
    #3

    Great for the words around a Reel: hooks, on-screen text, captions and a shot list before you film. It can't watch your video file, so paste the transcript or describe the clip.

    ✦ Try this prompt
    Here's the transcript of my Reel about [topic]: [paste transcript]. Give me: 10 hook options for the first 3 seconds (max 8 words each), the on-screen text for each sentence, a caption under 120 words that ends with a question, and 5 ideas for B-roll shots I could film on my phone. Audience: [who]. Tone: [casual / expert / funny].
    Open ChatGPT ↗
  4. Claude
    AI assistantFree plan
    #4

    Best for turning a long transcript into a tight 30-second script and captions that sound like you. Like ChatGPT, it can't watch video, so it works from text.

    ✦ Try this prompt
    Below is the transcript of a [length]-minute video I recorded. Find the one idea that would make the best 30-second Reel and rewrite it as a spoken script: hook in the first sentence, 3 short points, a clear ending. Keep my words where you can. Then write on-screen captions split into lines of max 5 words. Transcript: [paste]
    Open Claude ↗

Specialised tools

  1. CapCut
    Free plan

    The everyday pick. Auto captions, templates and trending formats, and the free plan covers most of what you'll need.

    Open CapCut ↗
  2. OpusClip
    Free plan

    Give it a 1-hour podcast and it pulls out the best moments as vertical clips, already captioned.

    Open OpusClip ↗

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