How to Use AI to Make Videos: A Practical Guide

Using AI to make videos is straightforward: you write a script, choose a tool like Synthesia, Pictory, or RunwayML, and the tool generates a complete video with an avatar, synthetic voice, and automatic editing. You get content ready to publish, with no camera, no studio, no technical team.

That’s the short answer. Here’s how to do it properly.

Why Executives Are Adopting This Now

Video has become the dominant format for internal training, HR communication, marketing, and onboarding. The problem: producing quality video is expensive and time-consuming. An external provider, a shoot, editing. Weeks of coordination.

AI changes the equation. Not because the result matches professional production. Because for most corporate use cases, the quality level is sufficient, and the cost gap is significant.

What I observe with my clients: AI video is adopted first for internal content, then progressively for external communications. The movement is real.

4 Steps to Create a Video with AI

Step 1: Define Your Use Case

Before choosing a tool, ask yourself one simple question: what is this video for?

• Internal training or onboarding: Synthesia is the strongest choice. You create an avatar, paste your script, and the tool generates a video with a virtual presenter.
• Turning an article or document into a video: Pictory is built for this. You paste a text, the tool selects matching images and video clips, and edits everything automatically.
• Creative visual generation or advanced editing: RunwayML allows you to generate video sequences from an image or text, or apply intelligent editing effects.

Each tool has its territory. Don’t look for a universal tool. Look for the right tool for your need.

Step 2: Prepare Your Script

This is the step most people rush. And it’s where everything is decided.

An AI video script must be written to be read aloud. Short sentences. No jargon. No parentheses. No bullet points in spoken text.

If you don’t know where to start, use ChatGPT or Claude to transform your brief into a structured script. Give it the context, target duration, tone, and audience. You get a solid base in minutes. As I explained in my guide on using AI to proofread text, AI is particularly effective at reformulating and structuring existing content.

Step 3: Generate the Video

With Synthesia, the process is: create an account, choose an avatar from their library, paste your script, select language and voice, and launch generation. The video is ready in minutes.

With Pictory, you paste your text or an article URL, and the tool automatically proposes a visual selection and structure. You adjust, validate, and export.

With RunwayML, you start from an image or descriptive text, and the tool generates an animated sequence. It’s more technical, but the visual results are more original.

I’ve built a 6-dimension diagnostic framework to help executives evaluate which AI tools to integrate into their processes. Download the AI Board Pack 2026.

Step 4: Review and Distribute

No tool produces a perfect result on the first try. Plan a review cycle.

Check lip synchronization if you’re using an avatar. Check that visuals match the content if you’re using Pictory. Check total duration and pacing.

For distribution: most tools export in MP4. You can publish directly on LinkedIn, your intranet, YouTube, or integrate into your LMS for training.

Pitfalls to Avoid

First pitfall: believing the tool replaces thinking. A bad script produces a bad video, even with the best tool. AI executes. You think.

Second pitfall: trying to do everything with one tool. Synthesia is not RunwayML. Pictory is not Synthesia. Choose based on the use case, not the tool’s reputation.

Third pitfall: neglecting AI governance on produced content. If you create training videos with avatars, make sure your teams know it’s AI. Transparency is not optional. It’s a matter of trust, and in some sectors, a regulatory requirement that is taking shape. As Dr. Hervé Tiwa notes, there is currently a legal vacuum on these issues that needs to be anticipated, not endured.

Fourth pitfall: underestimating the skill-building required. These tools are accessible, but they require a learning curve. RunwayML demands more investment than Synthesia or Pictory.

On this point, the AI training programs for beginners I’ve analyzed now cover video tools in their advanced modules. A good starting point if you want to structure your teams’ skill development.

What You Can Realistically Expect

A 3 to 5-minute training video produced with Synthesia can be ready quickly if the script is written in advance. Without AI, the same content requires several days of coordination, shooting, and editing.

For marketing or social media, Pictory allows you to transform a blog article into a video without going through a production team. That’s a real time saving on content you’re already producing.

The question isn’t whether AI will change corporate video production. It already has. The question is whether you’ll integrate it into your processes now or in two years.

If you want to structure your AI approach beyond video tools, request a free diagnostic. We’ll look together at where AI can generate measurable value in your organization.

FAQ

Do you need technical skills to use these tools?

No. Synthesia and Pictory are designed for non-technical users. You need to know how to write a script and navigate a web interface. RunwayML is more advanced and requires more practice.

Do these tools work in French?

Synthesia, Pictory, and RunwayML indicate multilingual capabilities on their sites, but exact features and supported languages evolve regularly. Check directly on their sites before committing to a specific use case.

What do these tools cost?

All three tools offer limited free plans and paid subscriptions. Pricing evolves regularly. Check directly on their sites for current conditions at the time of your evaluation.

Can these videos be used commercially?

It depends on each tool’s terms of use and the plan subscribed. Read the licenses before distributing content produced with avatars or generated visuals. This is a basic precaution, especially in a context where the legal framework around generative AI is still being built.

Can AI generate an entire video from scratch?

Yes, from a text or brief. But the result depends directly on the quality of what you give it. AI structures and generates. Editorial direction remains yours.