OpenChatCut

OpenChatCut is an open-source, local-first AI video editor designed for users who want more control and flexibility in their video creation process. It allows AI agents, such as Codex and Claude, to work collaboratively on a real multitrack timeline, offering an alternative to closed-source, one-shot AI video editing solutions. The platform is free to use and distributed under the AGPL license, emphasizing accessibility and community contribution. The problem OpenChatCut addresses is the often restrictive and opaque nature of existing AI video editing tools. Many commercial options operate as black boxes, limiting user control and offering only flattened, uneditable exports. This can be frustrating for creators who need to iterate, refine, and maintain full ownership of their work. By providing a local-first, open-source solution with a true multitrack timeline, OpenChatCut empowers users with greater transparency and creative freedom. One of the key features of OpenChatCut is its support for AI agents, including built-in agents and external ones via MCP (like Codex and Claude Code). These agents can perform various editing tasks, making the video creation process more efficient. The platform also boasts a real multitrack timeline, which is a fundamental aspect of professional video editing. This timeline allows for the arrangement of clips, application of transitions, addition of captions, and implementation of effects, providing a familiar and powerful editing environment. Editable exports are another significant capability, meaning that the output from OpenChatCut is not a final, flattened render but retains its editable structure. This allows for further modifications and adjustments after the initial export, offering a level of flexibility not commonly found in AI-powered video tools. The open-source nature of OpenChatCut, under the AGPL license, ensures that the software is freely available, modifiable, and distributable, fostering a collaborative development environment. OpenChatCut integrates AI agents directly into the video editing workflow. Users can leverage these agents to automate tasks, suggest edits, and even generate content. The system is designed to allow these agents to make structured edits on the multitrack timeline without overwriting or flattening existing work. This approach ensures that the user always maintains control over the project's structure and content. The overall methodology of OpenChatCut revolves around providing a robust, local-first video editing experience enhanced by AI. Unlike cloud-based solutions, it runs on the user's machine, ensuring data privacy and independence. The core innovation lies in enabling AI agents to interact with and modify a genuine multitrack timeline, offering a more sophisticated and controllable AI editing experience. The benefits for users include enhanced creative control, greater transparency in the editing process, and the freedom to use and modify the software without cost. The local-first approach also ensures that users are not dependent on internet connectivity or subject to the limitations of cloud-based services. Editable exports mean that projects remain flexible and can be revisited or repurposed easily. Concrete use cases for OpenChatCut include stitching together screen recordings with B-roll footage and automatically generating captions, arranging and trimming multiple clips on a timeline, and applying AI-driven edits while maintaining full control over the final output. It's suitable for creators who need to produce content efficiently but also require the precision and flexibility of traditional editing software. OpenChatCut is targeted at developers, content creators, and anyone interested in open-source tools for video editing. It is built using technologies like Remotion and integrates with AI models such as Claude by Anthropic and GitHub for its open-source repository. The software is free to use under the AGPL license. In summary, OpenChatCut offers a powerful, open-source, and local-first AI video editing solution that empowers users with a real multitrack timeline and editable exports, setting a new standard for AI-assisted video creation.