More and more tools say an AI can edit your video, and they mean very different things. Some generate a clip from a prompt. Some automate one job, like captions. A few let an AI agent work through a whole edit. Here are the seven questions we would ask of any of them. Arsaze's answer is under each one, so you can hold us to the same list.
1. Does the AI edit a real timeline?
If the AI only hands back a rendered file, one bad cut means doing the whole thing again. Look for an editor where the AI's work lands as clips, cuts, keyframes and tracks that you can change one at a time.
Arsaze: the AI edits the same multi-track timeline you do, with trims, transitions, keyframes, color grading and audio mixing.
2. Can you undo anything the AI did?
Agents make mistakes, and so do people. You want a full history you can step back through, not a single undo.
Arsaze: every edit is saved to version history as it happens, so you can return to any earlier state of the project.
3. Does it work with the assistant you already use?
An editor that only works with its own assistant ties you to it. One that supports MCP, the open standard for connecting assistants to apps, works with the assistant you already pay for.
Arsaze: Claude, ChatGPT and Grok connect as custom connectors, and so can other assistants that support remote MCP. Paid plans also include a built-in Arsaze assistant.
4. Can you watch it work and step in?
Check that you can see each edit as it happens, and take over by hand without breaking what the agent is doing.
Arsaze: every edit plays back live in the editor. You can edit by hand at any point, lock the clips you are happy with so nothing changes them, and have an agent try a change on a separate branch before it touches the main edit.
5. Can it see your footage, and where does your footage go?
An agent that only reads a transcript misses what is on screen. At the same time, not every video can be uploaded. Ask both questions.
Arsaze: the AI can look at the moments it needs. In a local project, made in the desktop app, your video, audio and images stay on your computer, nothing the AI looks at is kept, and AI access can be switched off for a project or for a whole computer.
6. Can a client review it, and can you take it elsewhere?
Real work ends with feedback, and often in another app. Check for review links and for an export to professional editors.
Arsaze: review links with comments on exact frames, which the agent can read and act on; MP4 export; and FCPXML export that opens in DaVinci Resolve and Premiere Pro. Review links need a cloud project.
7. Is the price clear?
Agent work can use a lot of AI generation. Know what is free, what uses credits and what needs a plan before you start.
Arsaze: the free plan includes the full editor and connecting your own assistant. In the desktop app, on-device transcription, background removal and exports with no watermark are free on every plan. AI generation and the built-in assistant need a paid plan. The numbers are on the pricing page.
How to use this list
Take one real project, not a demo clip, and run it through each tool you are considering. Score every question yes, partly or no. The tool that does best on your own footage is the right one for you, whichever it turns out to be. For side-by-side comparisons with other editors, see the comparison pages. For the idea behind all of this, read what agentic video editing is, and for a worked example, what an AI agent does during a real edit.
Questions people ask
What is the best agentic video editor?
The best one for you edits a real timeline, keeps a full version history, works with the AI assistant you already use, lets you watch and step in, handles your footage the way you need, supports client review and export, and has clear pricing. Arsaze is built to meet all seven, and the fairest test is to run one of your own projects through each tool you are considering.
What should I look for in an AI video editor for agents?
Check that the AI works on a real multi-track timeline, that every edit can be undone, that it connects to your assistant through MCP, that you can watch and take over, that it can see your footage while keeping private files private, that clients can review the result, and that the pricing is clear.
Is an AI video generator the same as an agentic video editor?
No. A generator makes a new clip from a prompt. An agentic video editor lets an AI work through a whole edit of your footage in steps, on a timeline you can keep editing. Arsaze is an agentic editor that also includes generation, so generated clips land on the same timeline.
Can I try an agentic video editor for free?
Yes. Arsaze's free plan includes the full editor and lets you connect your own assistant, such as Claude, ChatGPT or Grok. AI generation and the built-in Arsaze assistant need a paid plan.