Instagram rolls out a conversational AI video editing assistant for Edits, its dedicated CapCut competitor, after an initial preview at a creator event in June (Amanda Silberling/TechCrunch)

Instagram announced on Wednesday an AI-powered video editing tool for creators, set to be integrated into its Edits platform, a competitor to CapCut. The tool aims to offer personalized insights based on creators' Instagram metrics, such as follows, views, video retention, likes, and shares. In addition to these basic metrics, the assistant also takes into account comments, current trends on the platform, and audience preferences.

Brett Westervelt, head of Edits, explained that the assistant identifies patterns in creators' performance over time and reveals actionable insights that might not be apparent from the metrics alone. Creators were engaged in the development process, with Westervelt noting that they consistently requested a tool that focuses on analysis rather than creative work.

The AI assistant is designed to assist creators in identifying opportunities for improvement without taking over the creative process. The assistant's development was highlighted during a June creator event, where Meta also announced its plans for an Edits desktop app. Although Meta is not the only company exploring similar tools, it appears to be taking a more analytics-focused approach compared to YouTube, which plans to integrate a conversational video editing tool early next year.

Creators will be limited in their usage of the AI tool, but can unlock additional capabilities through a Meta One subscription.