Picking the right AI video tool can feel overwhelming, so before you even start talking to salespeople, it’s important to do your own research. Every option out there claims to be the best, but it’s up to you to see if they live up to the hype, especially if you’re new to this whole AI video thing.
This article will focus on five key areas: AI avatars, language options, user-friendliness, security, and innovation. These features can vary a lot between tools, which affects their price tags (that’s why we won’t be focusing on price directly).
Think of this article as your handy checklist to help you find the perfect AI video tool, or at least narrow down your options to a few top contenders.
5 Things to Consider when Choosing an AI Video Creation Tool
TL;DR – what makes a good AI video creation tool?
- Awesome avatars: Plenty of diverse and realistic-looking AI avatars to choose from.
- Voices galore: A wide selection of high-quality voices and languages.
- Easy to use: No video editing experience needed, anyone can jump in and create.
- Safe and secure: The tool uses data responsibly and follows strict security standards.
- Innovation powerhouse: The company has a strong research team and is constantly improving the tool with new features.
1) AI avatars
The stars of your AI video are the avatars, so you want them to look good! You’ve probably heard of the “uncanny valley” – that’s when avatars almost look human, but something feels off. We definitely want to avoid that! While perfect AI avatars don’t exist yet, there are some things to keep in mind when comparing different tools:
- Variety is the spice of life: Do the avatars represent different ages, ethnicities, and clothing styles? Can you create various video types with them? Is the company always adding new avatars?
- Lip sync matters: Good lip sync makes your video more believable. Compare avatars from different tools side-by-side and see how natural their mouths move when they speak.
- Small details, big impact: Do the avatars use natural gestures like nodding or raising their eyebrows? Can you control these movements?
- Natural even when silent: Avatars shouldn’t look stiff when they’re not talking. Do they have natural pauses and movements?
- Custom avatars – quality check: Many tools let you create an avatar that looks like you, but the quality can vary. See what style they offer (realistic or cartoon), check out examples, and compare them to the standard avatars. Also, find out what you need to do to create a custom one.
2) AI voices
Videos in different languages help you reach more people around the world and make everyone feel included. So, before you pick your AI video tool, consider these questions about the voices:
- Languages and accents: How many languages and accents are available? Can you easily add captions and export them as SRT files?
- Voice variety: Are there enough voices and tones to choose from for different types of videos?
- Natural-sounding voices: Do the voices sound like real people, or are they obviously fake?
- Voice ownership: Does the company own the voices, or do they use ones from other companies like Amazon or Google? Owning the voices is more reliable.
- Translations: Can you translate your script within the tool, or do you need another program? How many languages can it translate?
- Voice cloning: Can you create a copy of your own voice to use with your avatar? If so, how good is the quality and how do you do it?
3) Ease of use
Okay, you’ve got your avatars and voices picked out, but the video-making journey is just beginning! Now it’s time to actually create your video, and you’ll need a tool that’s easy to use and has all the editing features you need. Here are some questions to help you find the right one:
- User-friendly interface: Is the tool designed for pros or beginners? Can you easily find your way around? Does it feel similar to tools you already know, like PowerPoint or Canva? Is it intuitive or confusing?
- Templates to the rescue: Does the tool offer templates for different purposes and styles? Are they easy to customize?
- AI to the rescue: Does the tool use AI to help you create videos faster? Can it suggest layouts, generate script text, or do other cool things? Are these features easy to use?
- Sharing your masterpiece: Can you share your video with a link, download it as an MP4, or embed it on a website? What’s the video quality like?
- Teamwork makes the dream work: Can you easily invite colleagues and work together on videos? Does it allow real-time collaboration and commenting?
4) Security
Trust is super important, especially when it comes to software and online security. So, when choosing an AI video tool, you need to be careful and ask these questions:
- Clean data: AI companies use tons of data to train their algorithms. Make sure the company you choose uses data that’s legal and ethical, so you don’t get caught up in any copyright or data misuse issues.
- GDPR compliance: Does the company follow the rules for handling personal data? Can they prove it?
- Single sign-on (SSO): This feature makes it safer to log in, so check if the tool offers it.
- SOC2 compliance: If the tool stores data in the cloud, make sure they do it securely and follow SOC2 standards.
- Moderation policy: You don’t want bad people using the same tool as you to spread misinformation. Find out how the company moderates content, whether they use humans or machines, and how long it takes.
5) Research
With AI products, the research team is like the engine that drives innovation. Basically, the better the research team, the more likely the product will keep improving and stay ahead of the curve.
You probably don’t want to read through boring research papers, but here are a few things to look for:
- Dedicated research team: Does the company have its own research team? How many people are on it, and are they known for their work? Companies with strong research teams are usually the ones leading the way in innovation.
- Active in academia: Does the company publish research papers, attend conferences, and connect with universities? This shows they’re serious about pushing the boundaries of AI.
- Regular updates: Many companies share their plans for future updates. This gives you a good idea of where the product is heading and what cool new features might be coming soon.
We’ve covered a lot of ground, but there are other things to think about too, like price, online communities, customer support, and how much money the company is getting from investors. But the questions we talked about are super important for making a good decision about which AI video tool is right for you.
