The audio-visual world is fast-moving. Whether you're editing footage late into the night, trying to clean up noisy sound, or preparing subtitle files for a client, there never seems to be enough time.

But here's the good news: AI isn't just for tech giants or Silicon Valley startups. It's now accessible, affordable, and genuinely useful, especially for freelancers and small AV businesses.

Below, we’ve rounded up 10 AI tools that can help you speed up workflows, improve quality, and stay competitive all without needing to be a tech expert.

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Descript

What it’s for: Audio and video editing via transcript
Best for: Editors, podcasters, YouTubers, production teams

Descript turns your audio or video into editable text – so instead of scrubbing through a timeline, you can literally delete words from a transcript to remove parts of a recording. It also includes tools for screen recording, multi-track editing, automatic subtitles and even an AI voice-clone tool for last-minute corrections.

Why it’s useful:

  • Speed up rough cuts by editing via text
  • Create instant transcriptions
  • Add subtitles and captions automatically

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Your craft deserves the best protection. With Mode Insurance, you're not just getting coverage -  you're gaining a partner who understands and supports your creative journey.

Adobe Enhance Speech

What it’s for: Audio clean-up and voice isolation
Best for: Videographers, sound designers, event techs 

Part of Adobe’s growing suite of AI tools, this one is designed to instantly make poor-quality voice recordings sound crisp and professional as if they were recorded in a studio. It removes background noise and balances speech with almost no manual work.

Why it’s useful:

  • Rescue voice recordings from noisy locations
  • Save time on post-production audio clean-up
  • Polish content for client delivery

Runway ML

What it’s for: Video editing, AI-generated content and background removal 
Best for: Creatives working on short-form video, promo reels or motion graphics

Runway offers a wide variety of tools, but one standout is its ability to remove or replace video backgrounds without having to use a green screen. You can also use AI to edit footage, generate content and even upscale low-quality video. 

Why it’s useful:

  • Remove backgrounds or objects easily
  • Turn rough video into polished content
  • Experiment with creative visual effects quickly

Krisp.ai

What it’s for: Real-time noise suppression 
Best for: Live events, remote interviews, livestreams 

Krisp uses AI to remove background noise from live audio—think barking dogs, echoey rooms or air-con hum. It works with Zoom, OBS, Discord and other tools, making it ideal for anyone working live or on tight turnaround. 

Why it’s useful:

  • Improve sound quality without fancy gear 
  • Reduce distractions during live sessions 
  • Great for client calls and hybrid events too 

Whisper by OpenAI

What it’s for: Speech-to-text transcription

Best for: Editors, subtitlers, documentary makers

Whisper is an open-source speech recognition model known for its accuracy and ability to handle a wide range of accents and audio conditions. If you need a transcript fast, or want to subtitle a full-length recording, this tool is a solid, flexible option. 

Why it’s useful:

  • Accurate transcriptions with minimal errors
  • Works well on tricky recordings
  • Can be integrated into workflows and tools

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Your craft deserves the best protection. With Mode Insurance, you're not just getting coverage -  you're gaining a partner who understands and supports your creative journey.

Cleanvoice AI

What it’s for: Audio editing and filler word removal

Best for: Podcasters, interview editors, corporate AV teams

Cleanvoice focuses on removing filler words (“uh”, “um”), stutters, and dead air automatically. It’s particularly helpful when editing spoken content where time is tight and manual clean-up would take hours. 

Why it’s useful:

  • Speeds up editing
  • Delivers polished voice recordings
  • Makes speakers sound more confident and professional

Pictory

What it’s for: Turning scripts or long videos into short social clips

Best for: Content creators, marketing teams, social video producers

Pictory uses AI to take long-form content (like webinars, interviews or B-roll) and edit them down into shorter, shareable videos with automatic subtitles, captions and branding. 

Why it’s useful:

  • Repurpose existing footage 
  • Add subtitles automatically
  • Quick turnaround for social media-ready content

Magisto

What it’s for: AI-powered video creation

Best for: Freelancers creating promo reels or social content quickly

Magisto takes your clips and stills and turns them into professionally edited videos using AI. You can choose the tone (e.g. upbeat, dramatic), add music and captions, and let the tool build the video automatically. 

Why it’s useful:

  • Perfect for quick promo reels 
  • Easy to use with no editing experience 
  • Great for client deliverables or pitches 

AudioShake

What it’s for: Isolating stems from audio recordings

Best for: Sound designers, remixers, audio techs

AudioShake lets you break down a finished track into stems (e.g. vocals, drums, guitar), even if you don’t have the original multitrack files. It uses AI to do the separation, which is handy for remixing, live mixes or syncing to new visuals. 

Why it’s useful:

  • Create stems when original files aren’t available
  • Useful for re-editing or reusing content
  • Great for licensing, dubbing and localisation work

Synthesia

What it’s for: Creating AI-generated video presenters

Best for: Training content, product explainers, internal comms

With Synthesia, you can create videos featuring realistic AI avatars reading your script. It’s a cost-effective way to produce training or explainer videos without needing on-camera talent or complex video shoots. 

Why it’s useful:

  • Create professional-looking content on a budget
  • Localise videos easily for different audiences
  • Useful for client training and walkthroughs

AI is a tool, not a threat

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by new technology especially when you’re managing shoots, clients, and invoices all at once. But AI can genuinely help. It won’t replace your creative eye or your hard-earned skills, but eases some of the pressure of time-consuming work sometimes involved in audio and visual projects.

Whether you're a freelance videographer, sound engineer, or AV technician, these tools are here to help you do your job better, faster, and with fewer headaches.

How to get covered 

We make it easy. At Mode, we work specifically with freelancers, creative professionals, and small businesses - so our cover is built with your world in mind. You can speak to a real person, tailor your policy to fit your needs, and make changes as your work evolves.

Want to learn more?

Explore our other blogs for tips on insurance essentials for freelancers, or get in touch if you’d like to chat through your options. No jargon. No hard sell.

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Your craft deserves the best protection. With Mode Insurance, you're not just getting coverage -  you're gaining a partner who understands and supports your creative journey.

Any views or opinions expressed above are for guidance only and are expressed in generic terms. They are not intended as a substitute for readers taking appropriate professional advice relevant to individual circumstances.

Written by

Josh Dumelow

Marketing & Insights Associate

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Your craft deserves the best protection. With Mode Insurance, you're not just getting coverage -  you're gaining a partner who understands and supports your creative journey.